Shiza Kichuya’s 118th minute winner was what Simba needed to win a place into CAF Confederation Cup next year.
Simba’s Ivorian striker Fredrick Blagnon superb goal scored from an impossible angle in the 95th minute was cancelled by Robert Ndaki in the 109th minute. The winner also pocketed a cool 50m/- from sponsors Azam, while Young Africans striker Aubrey Chirwa emerged top scorer with five goals. Simba’s holding midfielder, Ghanaian James Kotei was named man of the match yesterday.
It was a classic encounter as Mbao never went down easily; they put Simba guessing in entire 120 minutes. And, to sum it up, the match, which was witnessed by Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa had all the hallmarks of final.
The venue was packed to the brim. Simba were craving to return to continental club competitions after a four-year spell on the sideline. After finishing second in the Mainland Premier League, Simba missed out a chance to clinch CAF Champions League ticket and Joseph Omog’s men could not afford any more mistakes.
Despite losing, Mbao put up a brave performance but Simba were on a front foot from the onset, looking a side more likely to score. Just nine minutes into the game, Burundian striker, Laudit Mavugo volleyed wide a drop ball from Shiza Kichuya.
Simba were now pinning Mbao at their own domain and in 12th minute, right wing back, Janvier Basala Bokungu’s shot 50 metres away almost beat goalkeeper, Benedict Haule. The keeper was forced to come off his line four minutes later, to stop marauding Kichuya.
In the 22nd minute, Mavugo’s shot was blocked by Asante Kwesi and a follow up shot from Juma Luizio could not hit the target. In the 34th minute, Mavugo outmuscled Kwesi and took a snap shot to the far angle but skipper Yusuf Ndikumana intercepted the ball to a fruitless corner kick. Then Muzamiru Yassin fierce shot in the 40th minute narrowly sailed wide.
A minute before the breather, Kichuya set piece was cleared off the line by Kwesi. At the breather, Simba were dominant but lacked clear cutting edge at the final third. After the break, Simba were clearly in ascendency as Mbao committed bodies in defence. In the 48th minute, Ndikumana cleared off line a Kichuya’s curling shot.
Omog introduced Abdi Banda for injured Mohamed Hussein as Simba continued to pour forward in numbers. However in the 54th minute, Simba survived a scare when Hamidu Haji miscued his shot three yards out. The chance came after skipper Jonas Mkude took a tumble and was disposed the ball but Haji failed to make the most from a chance.
Mbao introduced Dickson Ambundo for George Sangija, while Simba called in Ibrahim Ajib for Luizio and in the 64th minute, Ndemla’s shot narrowly sailed wide.
The changes seemed to benefit Mbao who were rejuvenated and changed their game tactics from defensive to quick attacking game. Mbao created several chances but failed to turn them into goals and one of the best opportunities came through Boniface Maganga in the 69th minute, when he dribbled past several Simba defenders but Juuko Murshid cleared the danger for a corner kick.
With ten minutes to go, Simba introduced Frederick Blagnon for Ndemla and immediately thereafter, the Ivorian striker’s header was brilliantly cleared by the keeper. In the stoppage time Kichuya nearly pulled a string with a blistering shot that stung the keeper.
At the final whistle from referee Ahmed Kikumbo from Tanga, it remained all square and the match had to go to extra 30 minutes, which were full of action.
In the 96th minute, Blagnon scored the opener with a blistering shot. Banda lofted a perfectly weighted ball over the defence for Ivorian striker, who ran through and fired a shot across Haule into the top corner. However, Simba were pegged back in the 109th minute when raced clear to beat keeper Daniel Agyei.
With almost everyone believing the match will be decided by penalties, Simba won a spot kick in the 118th minute when a defender handed the ball in the box.
However, Mbao players vehemently disputed referee Kimumbo’s decision and police had to intervene to control the situation. Kichuya stepped up and sent the keeper a wrong way as Simba won their first major title in four year and first for coach Omog in his reign at the club.
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