SIMBA pounded Stand United 3-0, the hefty v ictory that can be put as a good reward to their freed sponsor, Mohamed Dewji, j ust a day after his release from abduction.
Altogether the sweet victory enhanced the defending champions' fight for the driving seat which is now occupied by their rivals, Azam FC.
Simba have moved to the fourth position with 17 points, while the top riders Azam have bagged 21 points followed by second-placed Young Africans with 19 points. Mtibwa Sugar, who are a point above Simba, have settled at the third position trumpeting 18 points.
At Samora Machel Stadium in Iringa, visitors Kagera Sugar defeated Lipuli 1-0 in a thrilling encounter while at CCM Kirumba in Mwanza Mbao FC shared spoils with Mtibwa Sugar in the third match of the yesterday's fixture.
Goals from Cletous Chama, Emanuel and Eric Mliro's own goal were enough to earn Simba vital three points in a thrilling encounter held yesterday at the half filled National Stadium.
Simba started the match brightly knowing that three points were what they needed most to put themselves at the right place in the tight league race.
Following series of goal scoring attempts, finally, the backline of Stand United was exposed in the 30th minute when Zambian midfield maestro, Cletous Chama received a well calculated set piece from Shiza Kichuya, composed himself inside the box before releasing a powerful shot to the far right post, beating United's goalkeeper, Muhammed Makaka.
It was Chama's first goal of the season for Simba and his mobility at the middle of terrain did the best for Simba in the encounter. The goal gave the hosts a momentum as t h e y began pushing more men upfront in a search of the second goal.
Their efforts paid off late into the extra time of the first half, when Ugandan playmaker, Emmanuel Okwi doubled the lead after receiving a good pass from Said Ndemla who made a solo effort before feeding the scorer.
Coach Patrick Aussems deployed Okwi and Meddie Kagere upfront and the flexible winger Shiza Kichuya initiated most of the raids that earned his team a hefty win. Kichuya had a couple of scoring chances in the early exchanges, but could not manage to make the most of them.
The second half saw Simba coming in a rejuvenated side hoping to kill the match as early as possible. Aussems made his first substitution in the 6 4 th minute by taking off Mohammed Ibrahim for Hassan Dilunga, the former Young Africans player who had missed a couple of league matches for his side due to injury.
As the search for the third goal ensued, Okwi's 74 th minute close-range drive was denied by the post as to the advantage of the visiting team as Simba fans were already at the edge of their seats waiting to see the ball inside the net.
In the 7 7 th minute, a well crafted Kichuya corner saw United defender Erick Mliro heading the ball into his own net in an attempt to clear the d a n g e r , a timely gift for the c h a m p i - ons.
