Simba SC start with a bang in CAF duel

Simba players Meddie Kagere (left), Mohammed Hussein (#15), Emmanuel Okwi and Cletus Chama celebrate after the Msimbazi Street boys beat JS Saoura of Algeria 3-0 at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, yesterday. PHOTO | MICHAEL MATEMANGA

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Two goals from Rwandan striker Meddie Kagere and one from Emmanuel Okwi were enough for the Msimbazi Street giants to take the soccer fans in the country by storm

Dar es Salaam. Simba Sports Club have started with a bang the African Champions League Groups stage after recording 3-0 victory against JS Saoura of Algeria.

Two goals from Rwandan striker Meddie Kagere and one from Emmanuel Okwi were enough for the Msimbazi Street giants to take the soccer fans in the country by storm at the National Stadium.

Okwi scored in the 45th after he was set clear by Cletous Chama while Kagere, who was brought in after John Bocco was substituted in the 37th, scored in the 51st after receiving a good pass from Okwi.

Kagere has so far scored five goals in the competition. He scored three goals in the preliminary and first round matches. Al Nasr striker Al Mehdi is leading the scoring chart with seven goals.

Zambian import Cletous Chama has scored four goals while John Bocco has placed the ball in the back of the net two times.

Simba head coach Patrick Aussems congratulated his players for the victory at home and urged them to continue with the same performance in the remaining five matches.

Aussems said they are still facing tough matches in the group especially against AS Vita of DR Congo on January 19 in Kinshasa’s Complexe Omnisports Stade des Martyrs.

The match will be officiated by Malian referee Mahamadou Keita, who will be assisted by Seydou Tiama of Burkina Faso and Sidiki Sidibe of Guinea.

“We are very happy to start with a bang in the encounter. It is the sweetest win in the group and we need to maintain the winning note in the remaining matches. We have to celebrate for the success,” said Simba SC head coach Patrick Aussems.

Aussems said their focus is now on the next match against As Vita, which he expects to be the toughest one.

JS Saoura played well in the encounter, but their defence blunders cost them the three goals. The team head coach, Nabil Neghiz admitted the defeat while blaming the referee for denying them a penalty.

“This is a very small team when compared with Simba and other teams in the group, we lack experiences, and we are taking the results as a challenge to us and we expect to do well in our other matches,” said Neghiz.