Simba run riot to cut gap on leaders to two points
Simba players celebrate after scoring against Mtibwa Sugar at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium yesterday during the Vodacom Premier League encounter. Simba won 5-0 to clinch the second position in the league standings with 49 points from 21 matches. Photo| Loveness Bernard
What you need to know:
- The win took Simba past Azam into second place after the Msimbazi Street outfit increased their points tally to 49 from 21 matches
Dar es Salaam. Only two points now separate defending champions Simba SC and leaders Young Africans on the Vodacom Premier League table.
This is after Simba, fresh from qualifying for the CAF Champions League quarterfinals as Group A winners, crushed visiting Mtibwa Sugar 5-0 in a surprisingly one-sided match at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
The win took Simba past Azam into second place after the Msimbazi Street outfit increased their points tally to 49 from 21 matches. Simba have a handy three-match advantage over Yanga, who have played 24 times, collecting 51 points in the process.
Third-placed Azam are on 47 points from 25 outings. Mtibwa Sugar, on the other hand, are hovering precariously only two places about the relegation zone in 15th place after collecting 24 points from as many matches.
Simba will play their next match on Sunday when they host rock-bottom Mwadui at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. This means that Yanga must beat fourth-placed Biashara United at the same venue on Saturday to be assured of holding on to top spot over the weekend.
Yesterday, Simba dominated for most of the game, pressing from the backline while Mtibwa Sugar failed to stop the in-form Msimbazi Street giants.
However, Mtibwa Sugar made various attacks in the thrilling game, but Simba’s defence, under Pascal Wawa and Joash Onyango ,stood firm to clear the danger.
Simba’s goals were scored by Clatous Chama in the ninth minute before Larry Bwalya added the second in the 10th minute later and Meddie Kagere scored the third in the 42nd. Kagere again scored the fourth in the 52nd minute after he was set clear by Bwalya. Simba’s fifth goal was netted in by Luis Miqussone in the 68th minute after he was set clear by Chama. Kagere goes on top of the scoring chat with 11 goals to beat Azam FC’s Zimbabwean striker Prince Dube with 10 goals.
Speaking yesterday after the encounter, Kagere said his target is to win any game for his club while increasing the number of goals that he scores in the league. Kagere in the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 league seasons was name d the best scorer.
“I am happy to get back in the top position of the scoring chart as well as helping my team to win the league matches. The victory enable us to chase the top spot in the league,” said Kagere.
