Africa-Press – Tanzania. SIMBA Coach Didier Gomes said winning the fourth Mainland Premier League title in a row simply means they are the best team in the country and will try to replicate the same fashion next season.
The Msimbazi Street Reds officially retained the top flight league trophy following a deserved 2-0 win against Coastal Union at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.
This is so because no other team in the contest can manage to reap 79 points with two games remaining before closing the season’s chapter. Skipper John Bocco fired his 15th goal of the season to lead the golden boot sprint overtaking Azam striker Prince Dube who has netted 14 goals to his name as the chase for the top scorer award remains undecided.
Also, netting on the day to finish the business for Simba was Chris Mugalu who pumped his 11th goal of the campaign and he is not yet far from competing for his first ever golden boot crown in the country’s league.
“Firstly, we must enjoy the title because we deserved it very well. We have done a very good work this season and winning the title for the fourth time means Simba has been the best team for the past four years.
“We tried to make Tanzanians proud when we played in the champions league and I am very happy for that…we must continue to make sure that in the next season, we should make a big step in the champions league,” he said. He also said the reason he made a couple of rotations in his squad on the day was to give chance to some players who work a lot in training sessions but do not get opportunities to show their abilities in competitive matches.
“Sometimes, it is very difficult to win position in this team because there are strong players but today (Sunday), I am very happy for these players,” the Frenchman trainer said.
His counterpart Juma Mgunda, despite the defeat, remained adamant that they are still in the contest to stay put in the league courtesy of their last two upcoming home fixtures.
“We came here to fight but we have lost the bout, we have two more matches coming up of which we will do our utmost to ensure that we win and thereafter, we will see our destiny in the league next season,” he said.
Mgunda then conceded that his young team faced experienced side which has got quality players capable to change the scoreboard any moment into the game. “We made mistakes in the first half and got punished.
At halftime, we talked with them to ensure they avoid committing mistakes that is why we came out refreshed and had a better second half,” he explained.
Again, Mgunda seized the chance to applaud Simba for becoming the new champions of the top flight league while insisting that his charges have learnt something from the encounter.
The outcome saw Coastal Union unmoved from their 17th slot on the table with 34 points from 32 matches hence their next two games will give verdict to their next season’s fate.
