AfricaPress-Tanzania: TOP riders Simba saw their bid to maintain winning run hit snags after they were forced to a 1-1 draw by Ruvu Shooting at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
Simba, however, continues to command the league run with 72 points after playing 29 matches while Ruvu Shooting have remained at the 11th position with 40 points also from 29 matches.
High level discipline in both attacking and defending helped much Ruvu Shooting to hold Simba, whose squad, however, seemed yet to regain their proper form according to what was seen yesterday.
Simba were the first to score early in the first half while Ruvu Shooting equalised midway towards the end of the first half. It took Simba just 12 minutes to open their goal account through Shiza Kichuya, who fired home his own rebound into the far side of the gaping net.
It was, however, Meddie Kagere who initiated the move from the right flank. The Uganda born Rwandan striker latched clear of his pursuer before volleying it to Kichuya, but his shot was blocked by Ruvu Shooting goalie Mohamed Makaka before it found Kichuya again and this time he didn’t make a mistake.
Ruvu Shooting who had a brilliant start, responded strongly a minute later, but Simba SC goalkeeper Aishi Manula was alert to punch away the corner that was going straight into the far right of the net.
It was attack and counter attack heading to the breather.
In the 30th minute, Simba’s Luis Miquissone laced clear to his marker, but his ground shot went a few inches out of the target.
Ruvu Shooting looked a well-drilled side under coach Salum Mayanga. His defenders Baraka Mtui and Abdulrahaman Mussa played well in the middle of terrain and most often thwarted many moves that would have been lethal to them.
Ruvu Shooting, whose attacks mostly came from the right flank responded with a well-calculated counter attack, but veteran defender Erasto Nyoni came in timely to send the ball out for a corner that paid off for Ruvu Shooting Stars a minute later.
It was in the 31st minute when Abdulrahaman Mussa took a corner by volleying the ball to unmarked Fully Zulu Maganga who jumped unchallenged to head the ball past Manula. The teams finished the first half tied 1-1.
Both teams made strong a restart after a breather, and it was Simba who made the most notable attack in the 51st minute.
This time was Meddie Kagere who narrowly missed his team’s second goal after his powerful ground shot was saved by goalie Makaka.
Ruvu Shooting defender Kassim Simbaulanga was warned in the 58th minute for a foul tackle on Hassan Dilunga.
Two minutes later Francis Kahata was called in to replace Shiza Kichuya, who somehow managed to change the game tempo in the remaining 30 minutes.
In the 62nd minute, Ruvu Shooting also benched off Abdallah Musa and his position was taken by Willy Patrick.
Simba made double substitution in the 67th minute by calling in Deo Kanda for Hassan Dilunga and Mohamed Hussein who came in for Gadiel Michael.
Saidi Dilunga who replaced Abdulrhaman Mussa in the 79th minute could earn Ruvu Shooting a second goal a minute later, but his powerful volley went above the bar.
In the 81st minute, Simba brought in Miraji Athumani for Miquissone. But none of them managed to change the stalemate until the final whistle.
