Tanzania: Simba's Title Race On, Mbeya At Ease

SIMBA interim coach Juma Mgunda said it is too early to give saying they are still Premier League title contenders while Mbeya City's Assistant Coach Antony Mwamluka hailed his charges for a 1-1 draw on Wednesday.

The Msimbazi Street Reds missed out the chance to take helm of the league table after sharing spoils with Mbeya City at Sokoine Stadium despite taking a lead in the 15th minute before it was cancelled out by Tariq Seif Kiakala in the 79th minute.

Up next, Simba visit Polisi Tanzania for a second away match at Ushirika Stadium in Moshi on Sunday before proceeding to Tanga to play hosts Coastal Union at Mkwakwani Stadium a few days later.

"As I said before the match that we are in a competition such that each team prepares to do well. We faced a strong team difficult to beat especially when they are playing at their home pitch.

"Football is a game of mistakes... one mistake we committed by failing to clear the ball enabled them to score an equaliser that facilitated a 1-1 draw. We are going to sort out flaws which emerged so as to do better in the next fixture," said Mgunda at a post-match briefing.

Adding, he said: "Though it is too early to comment on the championship, what i can say is that we are still in the race for the title and there are many games yet to be played as such; we have an opportunity to solve the problems we are facing."

Again, Mgunda pointed out that ahead of the next away matches, they are set to have thorough preparations which will help the team to stamp success and retain confidence in the team.

These is Simba's fourth draw of the campaign from 13 games and they have managed to win eight matches, losing a single fixture, scoring 25 goals, conceding six goals and have generated 28 points to sit on third place on the log.

On his part, Mwamluka reiterated that getting one point from a team of Simba caliber was a deserved outcome while praising his charges for the massive display in the second half.

"After conceding a goal in the first half, we encouraged players not to look down but rather put on extra effort until we managed to get an equaliser in the second half," said Mwamluka.

He also fired warning shots to their next opponents; Young Africans that they are going to have adequate preparations in order to stun the defending champions who top the league ladders.

The draw was Mbeya City's seventh of the season from 13-game outings of which they have picked from four wins, two defeats, scoring 19 goals and conceding 15 goals to bag 19 points. They are placed sixth on log.

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