Wounded Simba seek redemption

Dar es Salaam. A Dar es Salaam. Mainland soccer giants Simba will be seeking to put their Premier League campaign back on track when they face Alliance FC at the CCM Kirumba Stadium, Mwanza, this afternoon.

Simba, who succumbed to a shock 2-1 defeat at the hands of Kagera Sugar at the Kaitaba Stadium on Saturday, need maximum points so as to remain in the touching distance of league leaders Young Africans.

Defending champions Simba sit third in the top flight table with 60 points from 24 matches, 14 points adrift of their arch-rivals Yanga, who are not in action today.

A win for the Msimbazi Reds will see them narrowing a gap with second-placed Azam FC to three points.

Azam FC, who went down 1-0 to Ndanda in Mtwara last week, have so far amassed 66 points, while Yanga are at the summit of the 20-team league with 74 points.

Alliance FC, who are making their first appearance in the league, are now placed 16th after collecting 37 points from 32 games.

They will move seven places up the ladder should they beat Simba in today’s clash, which starts at 4pm.

Simba head coach Patrick Aussems said yesterday that he wants the pain of losing to Kagera to inspire a charge for the league title.

“It is always painful to lose a match, especially at the stage when the league is inching towards the home stretch,” the Belgian said.

Aussems, who guided Simba to the quarter-finals of this year’s Caf Champions League, said Saturday’s loss to Kagera Sugar asjust a slip-up.

“We’ll not afford another defeat in tomorrow’s (today’s) match,” he added. For his part, Alliance coach Malale Hamsin said his team is capable of producing an upset against Simba.

ace another acidic test of Alliance FC at the CCM Kirumba Stadium in the ongoing Mainland Tanzania Premier League.

Simba seek to bounce back in its winning streak against the unpredictable team in the encounter scheduled to start from 4pm.

The Msimbazi street giant are now placed third with 60 points from 24 matches and the victory will make the team to reduce the point gap to three points to the second placed team, Azam FC and 11 points to the league leaders, Young Africans. Young Africans have so far collected 74 points and stay at the top while Azam FC is placed second with 66 points respectively.

Alliance FC is now placed in the 16th after collecting 37 points from 32 matches and the victory will make the team to go up to the ninth position of the league standing.

Simba’s head coach, Patrick Aussems said they are looking the best results against Alliance FC in the encounter after a flop against Kagera Sugar.

“We played well in the encounter against Kagera Sugar, creating many clear scoring chances, but we failed to convert into goals. We have no time to rest as the fixture is tight and we need only one day to rest, we have to prove our worth in the encounter and win,” said Aussems.

He said players have to accept the current situation and have give the best results. “I have committed players and I am sure they will do the best. It is not easy match as Alliance is one of the challenging team in the league and also need the best results,” he said.

Alliance FC head coach, Malale Hamsin said they have prepared well for the encounter and they are targeting the best results.