Kiiza brace put Simba in control

GIANTS Simba SC returned to the top of Mainland Premier League table with a comfortable 3-0 win over visiting Ndanda FC at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, as the interesting battle for the title picked up momentum.

A Mwinyi Kazimoto’s first half strike and Hamis Kiiza’s brace after the interval sealed a perfect win for Jackson Mayanja’s title chasing Simba, moving them 51 points in the league standing.

The win helped Simba leapfrog title rivals and defending champions Yanga into the top spot. Yanga, who have played 21 matches against Simba’s 22, now occupy second place on 50 points, while Azam FC are on third place with 47 points from 20 games.

The defeat, meanwhile, leaves Ndanda 8th on the log with 24 points from 22 outings. Simba coach Jackson Mayanja made two changes from the previous starting line-up against Mbeya City, while Hassan Kessy and Said Ndemla replaced Emery Nimubona and Brian Majwega respectively.

The hosts enjoyed the lion’s share of possession throughout the opening half, creating a couple of scoring opportunities. Zimbabwean midfielder Justice Majabvi had a shot off target from just outside the box before Kessy had a penalty appeal turned down by referee.

Simba continued to keep the ball while trying to price open Ndanda defence in the opening minutes but with the visitors committing many players behind the ball, the Reds often attempted long shots.

Ndemla’s long drive after twelve minutes missed the target and the midfielder was at it again six minutes later as he tried his luck from 20-yards but Ndanda goalkeeper Jeremiah Kisubi calmly saved.

Kiiza had a half chance when Mohamed Hussein’s cross hit Ndanda defender before dropping on the feet of the Ugandan hitman, who couldn’t dispatch a meaningful shot after being closed down by defenders. With half an hour played, Simba’s towering defender Novak Lufunga blasted a header narrowly wide from Kessy’s in-swinging corner ball.

The Msimbazi Street outfit may have heavy bossed the proceeding but could have found themselves down in the 33rd minute after Majabvi was forced to clear from the line.

Against the run of play, Ndanda launched a swift counter attack that caught Simba defence napping and Atupele Green succeeded to beat goalkeeper Vicent Angban to high ball, but Majabvi came to the rescue as the ball rolled towards the goal-line.

Simba finally found the much-needed opening goal after 36 minutes through Kazimoto, who controlled a wellmeasured cross from Ibrahim Hajib before calmly placing his shot into the top corner with his right foot.

Ndanda waged a rare attack in the 39th minute and Omary Mponda wasted the chance to draw level after planting a header over the bar from inside the six-yard box. Abdul Mingange’s side came out fighting in the second half and carved out two good chances in quick succession but could not translate them into goals.

The visitors looked the better team in the early minutes of the closing half as their hosts struggled to play to their rhythm and the former looked more likely to score as pressed high, completely unsettling the Reds defence.

However, Kiiza calmed Simba’s nerves after scoring the second goal in the 57th minute, unleashing a powerful header from a well taken corner kick by Hajib. The goal took his tally level with Burundian Amissi Tambwe of Yanga on 17 goals, intensifying the race for the golden boot between the two players.

Kessy almost made it 3-0 a few minutes after the hour mark when the industrious right back’s cross-cum-shot struck against the post with Kisubi well beaten. Luckily for Ndanda, there was no one in the Red shirts to pounce on the loose ball. Kiiza took his tally to 18 goals, effectively killing the game from being a contention, when he coolly finished into empty net a Dan Lyanga’s pass.

It started with Majabvi who stung Kisubi’s hands with a venomous strike from a set piece. Lyanga reacted quickly to the rebound to set up the scorer. Ahmed Msumi nearly grabbed a late consolation for Ndanda after his power-packed left-footed effort blasted the woodwork with four minutes to play.

Simba controlled the tempo of the game in the closing stage as they easily saw out the game, posting their 16th win of the season.

At the Sokoine Memorial Stadium in Mbeya, host Mbeya City recovered from Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Simba, after beating Stand United 2-0. Raphael Alfa put the home side ahead through a spot kick in the 14th minute, before Haruna Shamte netted the second two minutes from the restart.