Simba eye to reclaim helm vs Ruvu

SIMBA have an opportunity to seize command of the NBC Premier League table if they clear Ruvu Shooting hurdle at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam today.

A win will take them to 27 points, thereby creating a one-point gap above Young Africans and Azam who accommodate the top two slots with 26 points each.

As such; it is a great chance for the Msimbazi Street Reds to take leadership of the campaign as they seek to stamp a third successive home victory after defeating Ihefu and Namungo with a margin of 1-0 in their recent assignments.

For Ruvu Shooting, they are coming fresh from a 1-0 loss to Azam at Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam, hence they are too eyeing to get something meaningful from the match in order to climb up league ladders.

From 12 matches played, Ruvu Shooting have managed 11 points garnered through three wins, two draws and seven defeats and now occupy the 13th place, a trend which is not satisfactory.

At a pre-match briefing yesterday, Simba caretaker coach Juma Mgunda said preparations for the match have been completed and that his charges are ready for the new task of battling for maximum points.

He also seized the platform to admit that lately, they have been lacking efficiency to turn into goals numerous scoring chances they have been making and it is an area they have worked hard on to reverse the situation.

“It is true that we fail to utilise well scoring opportunities which we create but the good thing is that together with my colleagues at the technical bench, we have tried to sort out the setback,” he said.

Mgunda also cherished the return of midfield maestro Clatous Chama whose three-match suspension has expired and is expected to be part of today’s Simba brigade to combat Ruvu Shooting.

On his part, Ruvu Shooting Assistant Coach Mohamed Nakuchema said they have created a good game plan ready to stamp success against Simba and urged people to forget the bad results they have had.

“This is a new match and we have come up with a new approach knowing that we are facing a good team with experienced players who are eager to bag essential points, hence all that has been taken into consideration,” he said.