Mtibwa frustrate leaders Simba

Simba SC defender Abdi Banda (right) and Mtibwa Sugar striker Shariff Hussein vie for the ball during their vodacom Premier League match at the Jamhuri Stadium yesterday. They played out a goalless stalemate. PHOTO | Juma Mtanda

What you need to know:

The result means Simba’s lead at the summit of the 16-team table has been cut to two.

The Msimbazi Street giants, who are gunning for their first league title since the 2011/12 season, now top the log with 45 points followed by the defending champions, Young Africans, with 43.

Morogoro. Leaders Simba SC and Mtibwa Sugar played out a goalless draw in a Vodacom Premier League match at Jamhuri Stadium yesterday.

The result means Simba’s lead at the summit of the 16-team table has been cut to two.

The Msimbazi Street giants, who are gunning for their first league title since the 2011/12 season, now top the log with 45 points followed by the defending champions, Young Africans, with 43.

Azam, another Dar es Salaam giant club who still eye silverware, are placed fourth with 30 points and it is highly unlikely that they will leapfrog the two top sides as the league heads into its home stretch.

The resurgent Chamazi outfit, fresh from winning the Mapinduzi Cup last week, were in action late yesterday with a date against Mbeya City. Yesterday’s match kicked off on a low note with both sides losing possession uncharacteristically.

Nonetheless, the visitors, who won the first leg match 2-0 at the Uhuru Stadium, started dictating the pace of the game and nearly took the lead in the fourth minute.

Defender Hamad Juma delivered a teasing cross across the face of the Mtibwa Sugar goal, but the chance went begging.

Simba followed up with another superb attack and managed to get a corner, but Shiza Kichuya’s delivery was far from impressive.

Mtibwa Sugar, enjoying an electric atmosphere at their home ground, made their first stupendous attack in the 15th minute, but Simba defenders cleared it for an abortive corner.

The tempo of the match dropped midway through the first half with both teams looking disorganised.

However, against the run of play, Simba again went close to taking the lead after Juma Luizio overlapped past Ali Shomari before unleashing a superb cross in the Mtibwa Sugar area.

Laudit Mavugo, however, could not plant the ball home with goalkeeper Said Mohammed at his mercy.

Mtibwa Sugar responded with some fine moves in the last quarter of the first half, but they were the visitors who created some real chances.

After the resumption, the home team looked more aggressive and forced a corner straightaway, but Vincent Barnabas could not take full advantage of the rebound.

Mtibwa Sugar continued to unsettle the Simba defence with pace, but their precision was wanting.

After being forced to defend for a most of the first 10 minutes, Simba head coach Joseph Omog called Mavugo off for Ibrahim Ajibu.

The substitution did not change the pace of the game immediately, but Simba looked slightly dangerous when in possession of the ball.

Kichuya and Ajibu could have scored in the final 20 minutes, but they were not precise enough in front of the Mtibwa Sugar goal.

Mtibwa resorted into a defensive game in the final minutes and it paid off as they walked away with a point.

Mtibwa Sugar: Said Mohamed, Ally Shomary, Issa Rashid, Henry Joseph, Salim Mbonde, Shaaban Nditi, Haruna Chanongo, Ally Makarani, Rashid Mandawa, Jaffary Salum and Vicent Barnabas.

Simba: Daniel Agyei, Hamadi Juma, Mohammed Hussein, Method Mwanjali, Abdi Banda, Jonas Mkude, Shiza Kichuya, James Kotei, Juma Luizio, Laudit Mavugo and Mwinyi Kazimoto.