Simba SC lacked legs at JKT Tanzania in Ligi Kuu Bara - Fadlu Davids

Photo Credit - Simba SC Tanzania.

Simba SC head coach Fadlu Davids has admitted that his side looked tired in the second half of their hard-earned 1-0 Mainland Premier League victory against JKT Tanzania at Isamuhyo Stadium on Monday.

A first-half goal courtesy of Fabrice Ngoma was all the Msimbazi Reds needed to collect maximum points from a difficult away match and stay on course to catch leaders and defending champions Young Africans (Yanga SC) at the top of the table.

“It was a very difficult game against a well-rested team, and as you could see it, especially in the second half, our players didn’t really have the legs to be able to manage the game with the ball like we wanted to do. So, of course, on a big pitch like this, you see the space and then you try to hit it behind, instead of moving in units,” Davids told Pan-Africa Football.

“We found a free man and wanted to go early, and we kept losing the ball and with the size of the pitch it made very difficult for us, but we got the points we needed, congratulations to my players, they fought for the win, and now two matches to go. We face Pamba Jiji, and in another two days against KMC.

“We have to be able to change our tactics to win the game, it doesn’t matter how we play, we have to do the job and manage the game to effectively win the match.”

On being forced to replace Chamou Karaboue, who was injured during the warm-up, the South African coach said: “Losing Chamou Karaboue in the warm-up, there was everything to play for in the midfield, and we know Che Malone is just coming back from an injury lay off, maybe he cannot start the game. The maximum he was supposed to play was 20 to 30 minutes. The injury really disturbed our build-up process.”

The win took Simba to 63 points, seven fewer than Yanga, from 24 matches.