Seth Mapoli
May 11, 2026Barker pleased as Simba keep pressure on title rivals with dominant win
Photo: Simba Sports Club
Barker pleased as Simba keep pressure on title rivals with dominant win
Simba Sports Club head coach Steve Barker praised his players for delivering a complete performance after the Msimbazi Reds cruised to a commanding 4-0 victory over Tanzania Prisons in a NBC Premier League match played at KMC Complex Stadium.
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The emphatic victory keeps Simba firmly in the title race as they continue piling pressure on the league leaders with another convincing display.
The hosts dominated large spells of the contest and showed attacking quality throughout despite an early setback after missing a penalty in the opening stages of the game.
In the 12th minute, Seleman Mwalimu failed to convert from the penalty spot after Anthony Mligo had been brought down inside the box by Salum Kimenya.
However, Barker’s side continued to control possession and create dangerous attacking opportunities. Their persistence finally paid off in the 27th minute when Morice Abraham opened the scoring. Clatous Chama delivered a dangerous free kick that was headed by Anthony Mligo onto the crossbar before Morice reacted quickest to slot home the rebound.
Speaking after the match, Barker said he was pleased with the way his team started the game and maintained control despite the missed penalty.
“I thought we controlled the game, played with a lot of intensity and energy. Even after missing the penalty, we continued asking questions and creating opportunities,” said Barker.
Chama doubled the lead in the 42nd minute with a composed finish after receiving a well worked pass from Allasane Kante. Just two minutes later, Seleman Mwalimu redeemed himself by scoring Simba’s third goal after finishing off a clever chipped pass from Libasse Gueye.
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The rout was complete in the 61st minute when Ismail Toure powered in a header from a corner delivered by Chama.
Barker also highlighted the importance of squad management during a busy fixture schedule, revealing that the technical bench used the second half to rest some key players while maintaining control of the match.
“We achieved all our objectives won the game, kept a clean sheet, scored good goals and rested some players because we still have many matches coming in a short period,” he explained.
The South African tactician further praised Chama’s influence and technical quality, describing him as one of the team’s most important players.
“Everybody knows Chama’s ability. He’s comfortable on the ball, gets into good scoring positions and his technical quality is excellent,” Barker added.
The result sees Simba move to 49 points after 22 matches, remaining second in the NBC Premier League standings as the championship race continues to intensify.
Simba’s position on latest NBC Premier League table
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