Simba Coach in sight for runners-up finish.

Simba SC head coach, Serbian Goran Kopunovic

Simba SC head coach, Serbian Goran Kopunovic is confident his side stands a chance to finish runners-up in the Mainland premier league.

 

Simba thrashed Tanga’s Mgambo Shooting by 4-0 at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday to earn 38 points and consequently reduce their points’ margin with second-placed Azam FC to four.

 

The Msimbazi Street side is also eleven points adrift of league’s runaway leaders, Yanga, who edged Shinyanga’s Stand United 3-2 at the same venue a day before. 

 

Kopunovic heaped praises on his team for coming out victorious but showed concern on the squad’s lack of concentration in the early stages of the game.

 

“We were a bit lazy early on in the first half but we played well thereafter. Finishing in the second position is, mathematically, possible but we are focusing on game by game approach…we are now concentrating on the game against Ndanda FC”, Kopunovic said.

 

“If the team is creating chances, you definitely know that it has what it takes to excel, so, I’m satisfied with the (squad’s) performance,” he added.

 

Mgambo Shooting coach Bakari Shime, admitted his side was outplayed in the first half but the former bounced back in the second half and had several good chances that were, however, not fully exploited.

 

“I accept the defeat; Simba played well and scored the four goals. We were below par in the first half and allowed easy goals but we then bounced back in the second half and pressed forward now and then”, Shime said.

 

He expressed optimism over the team’s ability to maintain its presence in the league next season, saying the squad has to put its best performance to grab three points in the next game.   

   

Azam have the opportunity to; again, maintain a seven-point gap with Simba when the former host Stand United at the Azam Complex in the city on Saturday. 

 

Ugandan striker Emmanuel Okwi, notched a hat-trick and winger, Ramadhan Singano, scored the other goal for Simba to give the squad’s fans huge relief.

 

The win helped Simba revenge for the 2-0 loss the team suffered to the Tanga side in the first leg played at the latter’s venue, Mkwakwani Stadium. Simba, moreover, managed to put behind bitter memories of a 2-0 loss to Mbeya City in the game played at the latter’s venue, Sokoine Stadium, last Saturday.

 

Owki, who missed the game against Mbeya City for having collected three yellow cards in previous games, turned out to be a constant menace to Mgambo Shooting defenders, who were, at times forced to deploy a rather more physical approach in preventing the striker from either creating chances for fellow attackers or scoring.

 

Okwi also missed a clear chance midway through the first half when he was set up by team mate outside Mgambo Shooting penalty area and beat the latter’s keeper, Godson Mmasa but then shot narrowly wide with a yawning goal at his mercy. 

 

Mgambo also managed to fashion out several good scoring opportunities in either half but the team’s striking force disappointingly failed to make the most of the chances.

 

The team’s best chance came on the second minute, when the squad’s winger, Salum Gila, was bundled down by Simba fullback left, Mohamed Hussein, a few metres outside the latter’s box and the resulting free kick was then deflected by Simba right fullback, Kessy Ramadhan, toward his own goal but keeper, Ivo Mapunda quickly reacted to parry the ball away.

 

Mgambo’s prolific striker, Malimi Busungu, then outfoxed Simba’s Hussein outside the latter’s box on the 18th minute but the muscular Mgambo goal getter then attempted a fierce shot that went narrowly wide.

 

Mgambo were a rejuvenated side in the second half, in which the team pushed forward now and then only to be let down profligacy. The team’s wingers, Ally Nassor and Aziz Gila, attacked relentlessly on either flank and created chances for strikers, Busungu and Fulgence Maganga, but the latter wasted the chances.   

 

The team had the best chance to grab a consolation goal on the 87th minute, when Nassor got the better of Simba defenders in the latter’s box but the former then lost control when attempting to bang the ball home. Gila, who was lurking around, then pounced on the loose ball but agonizingly shot over Simba’s crossbar.