Simba fans cheer their team during a special friendly match against their arch-rivals Young Africans at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday.PHOTO | SAID KHAMIS
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They were rewarded for their attacking intent in the 30th minute when striker Awadh Juma beat goalkeeper Deogratius Munishi with a close range shot after the goalie had failed to clear Emmanuel Okwi’s free-kick.
Dar es Salaam. The National Stadium turned into a sea of red and white yesterday when rejuvenated Simba beat their traditional foes Young Africans 2-0 in a special derby dubbed the battle of the titans.
Two first half goals by Awadh Juma and Elias Maguri were all the Msimbazi Reds needed to silence Marcio Maximo’s men in the tension-rigged match.
But it was Yanga who enjoyed the majority of possession in the early exchanges, with defenders Oscar Joshua, Nadir Haroub and Kelvin Yondani offering support to the attack.
They almost went one up eight minutes into the match when Simon Msuva broke past defender Juku Musheed down the right, beating him for pace before sending a cross towards Emerson Oliveira from the touchline.
The Brazilian, who signed for Yanga recently, was, however, denied as goalkeeper Ivo Mapunda did well to clear the ball. As expected, Simba responded quickly and they were looking the more dangerous going forward - the trio of Emmanuel Okwi, Elias Maguri and Simon Serunkuma moving the ball around deep inside their opponents’ half.
They were rewarded for their attacking intent in the 30th minute when striker Awadh Juma beat goalkeeper Deogratius Munishi with a close range shot after the goalie had failed to clear Emmanuel Okwi’s free-kick.
Ten minutes later, Elias Maguri sent Simba fans into wild cheers when he made it 2-0 with a left footer from the edge of the penalty box, leaving goalie Munish and his defenders flat footed.
It was a remarkable turn of events and another dramatic chapter in Simba’s history. It was their best afternoon in the Dar es Salaam derbies - arguably better and potentially more significant than their 3-1 win at the same venue last season.
The win in the well-attended match means they can now fine-tune for the crucial stage of this season’s Vodacom Premier League with genuine hope of battling for the title and the jackpot that goes with it.
It also eased pressure on head coach Patrick Phiri who almost called it quits when Simba went four matches without a win in the league.
Coach Marcio Maximo, who had promised a win for Yanga, was left crest-fallen after the showdown.
