Simba defeat Kagera Sugar

Ibrahim Ajib

Visiting Simba defied the odds to beat Kagera Sugar by 2-1 goals in a Mainland premier soccer league return leg played at the Kambarage Stadium here yesterday.

 

It was youngster Ibrahim Ajib who stole the show in yesterday’s game when he converted a priceless penalty after 28minutes for Simba to take an absolute 2-1 lead up to the end of the match.

 

The penalty was awarded to Simba when Emmanuel Okwi’s goal-bound shot was deliberately ‘saved’ by hand Kagera Sugar defender.  Earlier Simba opened their scoring chapter through Ramadhan Singano after 46 minutes to take the lead. It took only ten minutes for the hosts to draw level when their talismanic striker Rashid Mandawa scored.  Both teams played superb soccer to keep spectators spellbound throughout and it was not easy to predict the final result until the final whistle that saw the visitors celebrate.

 

 The victory in Shinyanga has increased pressure on pacemakers Yanga and holders Azam who each have two and three matches in hand.

 

Simba trail Yanga by five points and just one point adrift of defending champions. The victory in Shinyanga was achieved by Simba on a backdrop of two tragedies that saw the club lose six fans in a car crash in Morogoro last week. The fans were on their way to Shinyanga to cheer their team. 

 

The match was also adjourned last Saturday as a result of heavy torrential rains that flooded the Kambarage Stadium to render it unplayable. On the same day Simba’s midfielder Jonas Mkude lost his father and was ruled out of yesterday’s match. The win must have been a good tribute to the fans and Mkude’s father who lost their lives.

 

Meanwhile, Simba’s archrivals Young Africans who are fresh from CAF Confederation Cup progression meet visiting Coastal Union at the National Stadium tomorrow in another midweek fixture of the Mainland premiership.

 

Line-ups:

Kagera Sugar: 

Agaton Anthony, Erick Murilo, Salum Kanoni, Erick Kyaruzi, Geroge Kavila, Malegesi Mwangwa, Juma Mpola/Paul Ngwai, Babu Ally, Rashid Mandawa, Atupele Green and Adam Kingwande. 

Simba: 

Peter Manyika, Nassor Masoud, Mohamed Hussein, Hassan Isihaka, Joseph Owino, Awadh Juma, Ramadhan Singano, Said Ndemla, Dan Sserunkuma, Ibrahim Ajibu and Emmanuel Okwi.