Omog not worried by Simba loss

SIMBA head coach Joseph Omog has revealed that their Monday trial match against Mtibwa Sugar was a good test for his squad before they kick off their second round campaign of the Mainland Premier League this weekend.

The Msimbazi street based side lost 2-1 to Morogoro lads at the Azam Complex on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam, but the Cameroonian tactician was concerned less by the defeat, saying the crucial aspect was to gauge the readiness of his charges before the league resumption.

The 2-1 loss to Mtibwa was their last test before the second round of the Mainland Premier League starts this Saturday, with Msimbazi Street Boys pitted to host Ndanda FC the following day at the Nangwanda Sijaona Stadium in Mtwara

. Simba opted to test their new players against Mtibwa Sugar after their earlier plan to play against Zambia’s Dynamo failed to materialise. Simba used the encounter to test the Ghanaian custodian Daniel Agyei and the midfield maestro, James Kotei both also from Ghana.

Agyei played brilliantly for Medeama SC during the CAF Confederations Cup ties while Kotei had played professional soccer in Oman before his attempt to play for Simba.

The duo failed to rescue their side from going down in their team’s second trial match which could have ended all square, should defender, Janvier Bokungu, converted the spot kick award after Ibrahim Ajib was fouled inside the box.

Bokungu’s shot hit the wood work to deny him an equaliser in a match which Omog blamed his players for under estimating their opponents who scored both goals through Jaffari Salum. Simba consolation goal was netted by Mohamed Ibrahim.

Cameroon coach said the biggest problem in this game was overconfidence and Mtibwa capitalised to beat them on the break. However, Omog said that the defeat had helped him to discover some weakness in his squad, which he promised to rectify before facing Ndanda.

“The match has enabled us to single out some weakness in our squad, which we are going to work on them before facing Ndanda FC at the Nangwanda Sijaona Stadium on Sunday,” he said. In their first trial match in preparation for the league second round, Simba beat Polisi Morogoro 2-0 at the Jamhuri Stadium in Morogoro.

The last minute fever ahead of the league resumption also gripped their traditional rivals, Young Africans who opted to test their players against JKU, but the 2-0 defeat forced the newly signed Zambian coach, George Lwandamina, to overhaul his squad.

Lwandamina who was making his first appearance as the head coach after replacing Hans Van der Pluijm, tested two different line ups but still, the isles army side managed to steal the show. Much focus was drawn to the newly recruited Zambian holding midfielder, Justine Zulu, who, however, could not make any impact to change the score line. In the match, coach Lwandamina used two different line-ups.

Lwandamina used the match to test his best combination before the league resumes in a week’s time.Yanga, like most other top-flight clubs, have reinforced their squad as they bid to get stronger and firing for a title-challenge, with Zulu, the only high-profile name recruited so far.

Zulu, who is credited for his defensive skills, was the centre of attraction. With two points separating current table toppers Simba with Yanga in second place, the holders will cherish their chances of tasting the driver’s seat for the first time this season if they beat JKT Ruvu at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Saturday.

Simba are top on 35 points. Stuttering giants Azam FC are working hard at their base, Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam and will be hoping to get off to a better start than the first round, which saw them finish the round ten points behind leaders Simba.

And the City Tycoons, who have bolstered their squad with a couple of new faces, have lined up a strength-testing game against Mtibwa Sugar to enable their Spanish trainer Zeben Hernandez gauge his charges. Azam FC will be entertaining African Lyon on Saturday.

Daily News