{"id":151592,"date":"2026-04-28T15:49:43","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T15:49:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/all-news\/barker-patience-paid-off"},"modified":"2026-04-28T16:47:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T16:47:53","slug":"barker-patience-paid-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/tanzania\/all-news\/barker-patience-paid-off","title":{"rendered":"Barker: Patience Paid off"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Tanzania. <\/strong> <\/span>SIMBA SC head coach, Steve Barker, admitted his side had to overcome early sloppiness before asserting their authority in a commanding 3-0 victory over hosts Mlandege FC in the Union Cup semifinal clash at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Zanzibar, Barker said a lack of precision in possession during the opening stages allowed Mlandege FC to remain competitive longer than expected.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt times we gave the ball away too easily,\u201d Barker said. \u201cThe second half really showed our quality; we took our chances and controlled the game well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the emphatic scoreline, Simba\u2019s path to the final was not straightforward.<\/p>\n

They dominated possession in a balanced first half but struggled to break down a disciplined Mlandege defence, with Barker conceding his players needed greater patience.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first half laid the foundation, even if we needed a bit more patience on the ball,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The breakthrough came in the 63rd minute when Seleman Mwalimu finished off a well-worked move to open the scoring and shift momentum in Simba\u2019s favour.<\/p>\n

Forced to chase the game, Mlandege began to leave spaces, which Simba exploited effectively.<\/p>\n

Anicet Oura doubled the lead in the 76th minute with a composed finish following a fluid attacking move, before Neo Maema sealed the result with a third goal in the 89th minute. Barker said the opening goal proved decisive in shaping the contest.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce you score the first goal, it forces the opposition to open up, and that creates opportunities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe used the space well after the breakthrough and were clinical in front of goal.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also credited Mlandege for their resilience in the first half. \u201cCredit to the opposition, they defended well and made it difficult for us,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n

Simba will now turn their focus to the final, where they are expected to face arch-rivals Young Africans in what promises to be another high-stake encounter.<\/p>\n

Mlandege head coach Hassan Ramadhan, meanwhile, acknowledged that his side\u2019s slow start and costly mistakes proved decisive.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe accept the result. We made too many mistakes and were punished. The most important thing now is to wish them well in the final,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Ramadhan added that psychological pressure may have affected his players, despite solid preparations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe prepared well, but from the first half the players seemed to play with fear, perhaps influenced by prematch talk,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He also pointed to external narratives surrounding the fixture as a possible factor.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a lot said before the match, and I think it affected the players,\u201d he explained. However, he conceded Simba were the better side on the day.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be honest, we were outplayed. Simba showed real intent and played very good football,\u201d he admitted. Ramadhan said the defeat would serve as a valuable lesson.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have learned a lot. We will continue working hard, that is the way forward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Find more news and analyses on Tanzania<\/span> on the Africa Press<\/span> website<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Tanzania. SIMBA SC head coach, Steve Barker, admitted his side had to overcome early sloppiness before asserting their authority in a commanding 3-0 victory over hosts Mlandege FC in the Union Cup semifinal clash at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar on Sunday. Zanzibar, Barker said a lack of precision in possession during the opening […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":151591,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,17],"tags":[711],"class_list":["post-151592","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-sport","tag-tanzania"],"yoast_head":"\nBarker: Patience Paid off - Tanzania<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"-article-header-tag"> Africa-Press - Tanzania. 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