MBEYA City head coach, Ugandan Mathias Wandiba said that their opponents, Simba were tactically better after his side suffered a 1-0 defeat against the holders in a Premier League match at Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya yesterday.
A 33rd minute powerful strike by John Bocco, who got an assist from Zambian ace Clatous Chama was enough to give Simba three crucial points, leapfroging Azam FC into second spot on 29 points.
Simba closed the gap with high-flying Young Africans to 8-points, with the former with two games in hand. Cedric Kaze’s Young Africans cemented their league leadership with an emphatic 5-0 win over Mwadui.
Simba may holdf the second place for just 24 hours should Azam Fc beat Namungo FC at their Chamazi home grounds. Azam will reach 30 points, one point above Simba and move back to second.
Wandiba, who succeeded Amri Saidi after City’s miserable performance in the league said that they had a better ‘game plan’ but his players made mistakes for Simba to take the chances.
” I thank my players for their spirited fight in my first game as head of the team,” said Wandiba. ” We tried to push in the entire match, but our opponents used well their chances to score,” he said.
Simba won part of the first half with Bocco and Chama partnership bearing fruits. The goal put a towering Bocco in the top list of scoring sheet with eight goals.
On resumption,City contained well their opponents in the second half, played well especially in the midfield though managed to make a few goal attempt.
This forced Simba to make tactical substitutions as Congolese Chris Mugalu replaced Bocco a minute on resumption.
Hassan Dilunga was also called out for Miraji Athuman as Said Ndemla was brought out for Erasto Nyoni. However, the substitution did not help Simba to increase more goals for their narrow away win.
” The match was quite tough because Mbeya City wanted to please their home fans,” ” But thank God we won, though with a slim win, but what is more important for us is to win three points and move ahead,” said a roving defender, Shomari Kapombe.
Meanwhile, JKT Tanzania beat Biashara United 2-0 as hosts Coastal Union of Tanga drew 0-0 with Tanzania Prisons at Mkwakwani Stadium.
