Author: ELKANA KUHENGA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: SIMBA ’S six-point mission hit fifty percent of target on Wednesday after clearing Mbeya City hurdle with a clean 2-0 win in a thrilling encounter at Sokoine stadium in Mbeya.
The six-point mission will knock its 100 per cent target if the Dar es Salaam giants beat Tanzania Prisons in their mission’s final hurdle on June 28th at the same venue.
By winning yesterday’s match Simba now need only a point to defend their league title for the third time in a row.
Do Simba clear Tanzania Prisons hurdle, they will be champions and grab again league diadem this season, especially after their closest challengers, Azam lost 1-0 to Kagera Sugar at Kaitaba Stadium in Bukoba yesterday.
Wednesday’s tense match saw Simba opening their goal account early in the 5th minute through John Bocco, who completed Clatous Chama’s timely move from the left flank.
Said Ndemla, who played well on Wednesday, initiated the move as a counter attack after Mbeya City had raided Simba goal.
The score remained unanswered until the end of the first half.
The second half saw Simba coming back a rejuvenated side as it didn’t take them long to add their second goal through Bocco again.
The second goal came barely 10 minutes after the resumption and this time it was Francis Kahata who did a good spadework before releasing a volley that Bocco smartly chopped it above the advancing Mbeya City goalie Aaron Kalambo.
Soon after the goal, Simba brought in Luis Miquissone for Francis Kahata in their bid to search for more goals.
Before Muzamir Yassin came for Ndemla while the hosts brought in Said Kipanga and Kelvin John for Chidiebere and George Chota respectively.
And in the dying minutes of the game referee Athumani Lazi denied Simba the third goal netted by Miraji Athumani for a foul play.
The results put Mbeya City in the deep relegation zone as they are placed 18th with 30 points from 31 games and are left with seven games in their campaign to avoid relegation.
Simba are currently riding the pack with 78 points from 31 games and if they manage to clinch one point in their two coming games they will be declared champions as their two close competitors Azam FC and Young Africans can hardly bag 79 points at the end of the season.
As in another fixture held at Kaitaba Stadium in Bukoba, Azam faced a big hurdle from the hosts Kagera Sugar.
The hosts, who played with determination, were first to score in the 34th minute of the first half through Yusuf Mhilu, who is at the moment the team’s leading scorer.
Whereas at Karume Stadium in Musoma Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC) who faced Biashara United were no match to their hosts after being hammered 4-0.
The hosts opened their goal account in the 36th minute through Justine Omary, Before Atupele Green netting a hat-trick.
Green doubled his side lead in the 68th minute before adding the third in the 72nd minute.
Whereby the fourth goal and his third of the match was netted in the 90th minute.
In another encounter held at the Nyamagana Stadium in Mwanza hosts Alliance FC were held to a 1-1 draw by visitors Polisi Tanzania.
Alliance took the match lead in the 51st minute through Martine Kiggi, but the visitors levelled the matter through Pius Buswita in the 80th minute.
The result saw Alliance fail to go out of the relegation zone thus increasing their fear of being demoted to the First Division League next season.
