Tanzania: Simba Dumped Out Again

Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

28 May 2011

Simba SC lucky charm ended in despair as three minutes of madness saw them conceding three goals and were comprehensively dismissed in the CAF Champions League once again, this time by Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca.

In the third round play off match at the Petrosport Stadium in Cairo, Egypt Simba lost 3-0 in the last three minutes.

The Msimbazi Street side was resistant for the entire 80 minutes but could resist no more when match referee waved for a play on as Simba were down to ten men after left back Amir Maftah picked injury.

Allou Mustapha caught the defence wanting and netted the first goal in the 87th minute, before Ayoub netted the second a minute later. The final nail into Simba’s coffin was drilled in the injury time.

Simba will now play DC Motema Pembe of theDRC Congo in the third round of the Confederation Cup. In the match, Simba allowed Wydad Casablanca to push on in search for the opener in the early opening exchanges but goalkeeper Juma Kaseja was firm between the posts as he thwarted numerous dangers.

Simba also responded in some occasions and impressive Ugandan striker Emmanuel Okwi was given licence to make his trade mark runs into the box, but couldn’t take advantage of the few chances that he got.

He was desperately unlucky when his precise low effort from distance in the 43rd minute was kept out by a good save from Wydad keeper. He was allowed the same and ought to have given Simba the lead in the 82nd minute, but again he missed the target.

Simba looked compact in the packed midfield, where they deployed returning clever Kenyan midfielder Hilary Echesa in place of brawny Patrick Ochan. Knowing that he had a protection of Mohammed Banka, Amri Kiemba and Jerry Santo behind him, Echesa relentlessly pushed forward to support the striking pair of Okwi and muscular Shija Mkina.

Simba however, clearly missed their talisman Mbwana Samata. CAF blocked Simba from using Samata and Ochan in Saturday’s match as they have already been sold to TP Mazembe. According to the Champions League regulations, Samata and Ochan are no longer eligible to play for Simba in the tournament.

Wydad Casablanca will now join Egyptians giants Al Ahly, Esperance of Tunisia and Algeria’s Moulodia Club Alger to form group B of the CAF Champions League’s mini League. The Moroccan side will now play Al Ahly in the opening match of the group, as Moulodia hosts Esperance on the weekend of July 15-17.

Group winners and runners up qualify for the semi finals. Group A has Enyimba (Nigeria), Al Hilal (Sudan), Raja Casablanca (Morocco) and Coton Sports (Cameroon).

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