Africa-Press – Tanzania. SIMBA Sports Club head coach, Belgian Sven Vandenbroeck has said that he is happy to see every player is working hard for the team’s progress.
His words came in compliment of 5-0 hefty win over Majimaji of Songea in the Azam Sports Federation Cup (ASFC) Monday night fixture held at Mkapa Stadium in Dares Salaam.
Vandenbroeck’s Simba took it as a friendly game and put on a new team that did well, and from the first minute they showed that they wanted to win some goals and they had energy.
“In the first round last year, it was 6-0, this year only 5-0 so I think people may start complaining that my team do not score enough goals. “But now I skip this sarcastic words Since in Nigeria, we were suffering illness, but my players, still be sick or not sick, they gave everything for the club.
“I ask everyone, media, fans, people in and out of the club to stop criticising because these boys give everything for the club,”
“So instead of criticising, talk about me or one or two strikers,” he said.
The hefty 5-0 win that Belgian regards it as a ‘friendly match’ is likely a ‘warning message’ to their rivals, FC Platinum of Zimbabwe ahead of their first round return leg at Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam early next year.
Though Majimaji, the former Mainland champions appeared to be like a ‘punching bag’, but Simba, who hold three titles of ASFC, Mapinduzi Cup and Mainland Premier League took the Monday night match seriously as part of their preparations against FC Platinum in their double legged match.
Simba lost 0-1 in their away first leg tie of the CAF Champions League’s first round and they need to win by atleast 2-0 in their home return leg tie on January 6 to proceed to the next round.
Gadiel Michael, Chris Mugalu, Ame, Meddie Kagere and Miquissone struck once each, sending a clear message to Zimbabwean champions that it will be a nail-biting match and they should get prepared for that.
Already Simba have warned that Platinum should not expect an easy going with the club coach, Belgian Sven Vandenbroeck saying that after their unexpected mistakes in their away clash, they should set things on for the big margin home victory and move on.
The Tanzanian champions will meet the Platinum Miners from Zimbabwe on Wednesday during the first round second leg match of the competition at the Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The Wekundu wa Msimbazi qualified for the next phase of the competition after securing a 1-0 aggregate win against Nigerian outfit Plateau United. Simba won the first leg played in Abuja 1-0 courtesy of a Clatous Chama goal, and claimed a 0-0 draw in the return leg played at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
On the other hand, Platinum made it to the next round after a 4-1 aggregate win when they eliminated Costa De Sol of Mozambique, winning the first leg played in Maputo 2-1 before claiming a 2-0 win in the return leg
