Goal-shy Simba finish third as Sharks win SportPesa Cup
Simba’s Ivorian defender Zana Coulibaly and teammates celebrate at the end of the third place play-off of the SportPesa Cup at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday. PHOTO | ANTHONY SIAME
Dar es Salaam. Second half substitute Clatous Chama scored the winning penalty as Simba beat Mbao FC 5-3 on post-match penalties yesterday to finish third in the 2019 SportPesa Cup.
The third-place playoff had to go to spot kicks after a barren draw in regulation time.
Chama scored the fifth kick for Simba – last year’s finalists – just after Mbao’s Ratesh Kotecha had missed his penalty.
The Msimbazi Reds had scored the first four penalties through Emmanuel Okwi, Nicholas Gyan, Serge Pascal Wawa and goalkeeper Deogratius Munishi.
Mbao, on the other hand, had scored through Said Khamis, Babilas Chitembe and Vincent Philipo.
Simba enjoyed the lion’s share of the game. They should have comfortably won the match in regulation time but were too wasteful.
They fluffed a number of chances in the opening 10 minutes of the match with the culprits being Sadney Urikhob and Shiza Kichuya.
Urikhob ought to have scored the match-opener in the ninth minute when with only Mbao goalkeeper Metacha Mnata to beat, he shot wide.
Kichuya also had a chance when Urikhob turned provider, cutting back the ball for him, but the former’s effort was saved by goalie Mnata.
Simba striker Meddie Kagere, one of the players the Msimbazi Street giants bank on for goals, was a tightly marked man yesterday.
He rarely found space to run in as the Mwanza-based team’s defence kept him closely guarded.
He only managed one shot, but couldn’t find its way on target.
Kenya’s Kariobangi Sharks emerged new SportPesa Cup champions with a 1-0 win against Bandari in the final at the National Stadium yesterday.
