Barker praises squad depth

DAR ES SALAAM: SIMBA SC Head Coach Steve Barker was full of praise for the depth of his squad and performance after cruising into the Round of 16 of the Federation Cup with a commanding 2-0 victory over B19 at Major General Isamuhyo Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Saturday.

The coach made the comments after the victory, highlighting that his team controlled the game from start to finish, stressing that the opponents posed no real threat throughout.

“We controlled the match from start to finish,” Barker said after the game.

“The opposition didn’t create a single serious chance, and we didn’t even face a corner. That level of control comes from preparation and having players ready to step in and perform.”

The manager was quick to highlight the value of giving playing time to squad members, noting that the win allowed him to rotate players while maintaining a high standard on the pitch.

During the game, the coach handed starts to several players who are not regulars in the first team. Eight of the starters had not featured in the previous match against Dar Derby, including goalkeeper Hussein Abel, with three of the four defenders also making rare appearances.

The only players to start who had played in the last league match were Ismail Toure, Inno Loemba and Libasse Gueye, while most of the regular firstteam players were introduced in the second half.

“It was an opportunity to give some players minutes and experience. Overall, we won the game, achieved what we needed and gave our squad valuable game time,” he added.

While Simba could have added to their tally in the first half, Barker was pleased with the overall performance and the lessons taken from the match.

ALSO READ: https://dailynews.co.tz/simba-extend-de-reuck-kagoma-contracts/

On the opposite bench, B19 Head Coach Twaha Beimbaya acknowledged that experience ultimately proved decisive but still commended his players for executing their tactical plan against the more seasoned Simba side.

“We knew experience would be a key factor, but I must congratulate my players because they followed our initial plan very well,” Beimbaya said.

According to Beimbaya, his team’s strategy focused on blocking penetration passes and preventing Simba from exploiting the wide areas, a plan he believes worked for significant parts of the contest.

“Our strategy was to stop penetration passes and prevent Simba from playing in the wide areas, and for large parts of the game, the boys executed that plan,” he explained.

However, he felt the turning point came when his team conceded from what he described as an avoidable mistake during a corner situation.

“The first goal came from an individual error by our goalkeeper during a corner and at this level, such decisions can be very costly,” he said.

Despite the setback, Beimbaya insisted the match offered valuable lessons for his young squad and expressed confidence that the team would improve with greater awareness and better decision-making in future competitions.