Simba narrow gap on Mtibwa

Simba striker Emmanuel Okwi is challenged by defender Abdallah Mfuko of Mwadui FC (right) during their Mainland Premier League match at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday. Simba won 3-0. PHOTO | MICHAEL MATEMANGA

What you need to know:

  • The victory means the Msimbazi Reds sit second in the Mainland Premier League table with seven points from three matches, two points adrift of Mtibwa Sugar.
  • In Mbeya, Mbeya City capitalized on a home ground advantage to a squeeze a slim but vital 1-0 win over struggling Njombe Mji at the Sokoine Memorial Stadium.

Dar es Salaam. Emmanuel Okwi struck twice Simba moved to within a touching distance of league leaders Mtibwa Sugar with a 3-0 win over Mwadui FC at the Uhuru Stadium yesterday.

The victory means the Msimbazi Reds sit second in the Mainland Premier League table with seven points from three matches, two points adrift of Mtibwa Sugar.

In Mbeya, Mbeya City capitalized on a home ground advantage to a squeeze a slim but vital 1-0 win over struggling Njombe Mji at the Sokoine Memorial Stadium.

At the Uhuru venue, Okwi broke the stalemate seven minutes into the game off a Shiza Kichuya pass for a 1-0 half time lead.

Kichuya almost made it 2-0 in the 25th when he latched onto a pass by Okwi on the edge of the penalty box, only to see his sizzling shot go a few centimetres wide.

Seven minutes after the hour mark, Okwi came into the picture again, this time with a long range shot, which gave Mwadui goalkeeper Hassan Kabunda no chance.

John Bocco hit a final pin on the Shinyanga team’s coffin in the 72nd minute.

Meanwhile, the national U-20 women’s soccer team, Tanzanites, are expected to return home tomorrow from Abuja, Nigeria where they lost 3-0 to hosts Falconets in the first round, first leg of the 2018 Fifa Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

Two goals from striker Rasheedat Ajibade and a goal by defender Lilian Rule gave the hosts the victory they needed to put one foot in the next stage of the qualifying matches.

The three goals calmed the nerves of the home fans and supporters, who became restless as the Falconets wasted so many goal scoring chances.

In the match played at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, the Falconets dominated from the first blast of the referee’s whistle.

Nigeria first goal came in the 21st minute when Rule was fouled by Tanzanian defender Khadija Mohamed at the edge of the penalty area. Rule neatly converted the resultant free-kick, while Ajibade scored Falconets’ second goal in the 59th minutes.

She scored after dribbling Tanzanian goalkeeper Migomba Gelwa, after a solo run from the centre circle. Ajibade made it a brace in the 62nd minute from a tailor-made pass from Sunday Anu.

The second leg match will take place in Dar es Salaam on September 30. The winners on aggregate will face Morocco of Senegal in the second round in November.

The 9th Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup will be staged in France from August 7 to 26, 2018.