Mbeya City cage toothless Simba

Dar es Salaam. Mbeya City recovered from a goal down to beat Simba SC 2-1 at the National Stadium yesterday.

Second half goals from Ahmad Kibopile and Yusuf Abdallah ensured Mbeya City bagged three points and climb the Vodacom Premier League table to the seventh position.

Simba opened the scoring through Ibrahim Hajib in the 23rd minute and had a chance to salvage a point in injury time, but Nassor Masoud missed a penalty.

The Msimbazi Street outfit now sit one place above the relegation zone. It was the first league defeat for Serbian coach, Goran Kapunovic.

Simba were slightly better than the visitors in the first half, but fluffed most of their chances until when Hajib broke the stalemate with a superbly curled free kick.

Mbeya City, who were playing cautiously for a long spell, shifted a gear and pressed forward for an equaliser, but found it tough to unlock the Simba defence.

After the break, Simba withdrew Dan Serrunkuma for Elias Maguri and the change added their attacking potency.

In the 51st minute, Mbeya City almost pulled one back through Themi Felix only for his shot to fly slightly over the crossbar.

Masoud should have doubled Simba’s lead in 57th minute, but his powerful header was fabulously cleared by City goalie David Baruani.

Mbeya City took control of the game afterwards forcing Kapunovic to call Simon Sserunkuma off for Ibrahim Twaha on the hour mark.

Paul Nonga went close to levelling the score in the 74th minute, but Manyika made another impressive save to keep Simba in the lead.

Four minutes later, Kibopile equalised with a well-executed shot from outside the box.

The visitors continued pressing Simba, but Juma Nyosso and Nonga could not convert their chances.

With a minute to time, Manyika brought down Raphael Daudi and the referee waved for a penalty, which was converted by Abdalllah.

Simba won a penalty in the additional time, but Masoud missed it and City clung on to victory.