Simba Snap Ocean View Fairytale Run

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

Majuto Omary

29 June 2011

Ocean View fairytale start to the Kagame Castle Cup came to a halt yesterday after going down 1-0 to Simba at the National Stadium.

Amir Maftah made amends for an early penalty miss to score the lone goal in the 22nd minute. Despite the defeat, the Isles team still top the five-team Group A with six points followed by Burundi’s Vital’O and Simba who tie on four points.However, Vital’O occupy the second place owing to a superior goal difference. They have so far found the back of the net four times while Simba have one goal.

Red Sea of Eritrea also put clueless Rwanda’s Etincelles to the sword in an early game to throw the group’s qualification race wide open. They won 4-1. The Simba-Ocean View match kicked off on a high tempo with both sides pressing for an early goal, but fluffed the early chances.

The Isles boys, looking to extend their winning streak, launched a series of shockwaves in the first three minutes, but striker Sabri Mzee, now relishing good form, missed his chances uncharacteristically.

Two minutes later, Simba raided the Ocean View goal and to the dismay of thousands of fans, marauding striker Mussa Hassan Mgosi squandered a clear-cut chance.

The Msimbazi Street outfit mounted pressure on Ocean View and in the eighth minute, Leon Kimiti fouled Mgosi in the area for an abortive penalty.Maftah, the former Young Africans defender, took a powerful shot from a spot-kick, but eagle-eyed Abbas Nassor denied him with a magnificent dive.

Simba continued to put Ocean View goal under pressure, but in the 12th minute they survived a scare when Mzee threaded the ball through to Said Rashid whose volley was easy for Juma Kaseja.

In the 22nd minute, Maftah made up for the penalty miss after scoring a stupendous goal. Ali’s desperate efforts to parry the 40-metre drive bore no fruit.

After the recess, Simba picked from where they left, stretching the Ocean View defenders, but they could not double the lead until the final whistle.

Line up:

Simba: Juma Kaseja, Said Nassor Said, Amir Maftah, Derrick Walulya, Juma Nyoso, Jerry Santo, Salum Machaku, Mussa Mgosi,Haruna Moshi, Ulimboka Mwakingwe, Athuman Idd.

Ocean View: Abbas Nassor Ali,Mohamed Abdulharim,Othman Tamim,Ismail Hamis, Salamsasa Obina,Leon Kimiti, Salum Said Shebe, Suleiman Ali Haji,Said Rashid, Haji Abid Hassan.

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