Simba dismantle Wanderers

DAR ES SALAAM: SIMBA stormed into the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after dismantling Malawi’s Mighty Wanderers 6-1 at Uhuru Stadium yesterday to complete a crushing 7-1 aggregate victory.

Simba had taken a slender 1-0 advantage from the first leg in Malawi last weekend, but there was nothing slender about their performance in the return leg as they tore through Wanderers with pace, precision and ruthless finishing.

They will now face FC 15 de Agosto de Aconibe of Equatorial Guinea in the second preliminary round, with the two-legged tie scheduled for next month.

Simba wasted little time putting the tie beyond doubt. In the eighth minute, neat passing involving Anicet Oura opened up the Wanderers defence and allowed Clatous Chama to drill a low shot past goalkeeper Dalits Phiri to give the hosts an early lead.

Libasse Gueye almost doubled the advantage three minutes later when he unleashed a long-range effort from outside the box, but Phiri was equal to it.

The pressure finally told in the 28th minute. As Wanderers pressed forward, Simba won possession deep in their own half and immediately turned defence into attack.

Elie Mpanzu started the counter with a perfectly weighted pass into the box, where Gueye controlled the ball with two touches before firing beyond Phiri.

Simba were in full control and Chama struck again in the 34th minute. Oura switched from the left flank to the right and danced past his marker before sending a dangerous low cross into the area.

The ball was partially intercepted by Phiri, but it fell kindly to Chama, who made no mistake with the rebound to put Simba 3-0 ahead. Wanderers, however, were handed a lifeline just before half-time.

Rushine De Reuk was penalised for a foul on Clement Nyondo inside the box, prompting the referee to point to the spot.

Isaac Kaliati stepped up and calmly converted the penalty to reduce the deficit to 3-1. The visitors nearly pulled another one back in the 54th minute when Kaliati curled a free-kick from just outside the box, only to see his effort crash against the woodwork.

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That proved as close as Wanderers would come to mounting a comeback. Simba restored their three-goal cushion in the 69th minute through Gueye.

Neo Maema carried the ball into the box before Ibrahim Doumbia controlled it on his chest and found Oura. The winger quickly released Gueye, who unleashed a fierce strike.

Phiri had already committed himself in the wrong direction and could only watch as the ball found the net. Simba were not finished.

In the 88th minute, Keletso Makgalwa made it 5-1 after substitute Ismail Mgunda won possession deep in Wanderers’ territory and launched another counter-attack.

Mgunda advanced towards the box before setting up Makgalwa, who left his defender trailing before unleashing a deceptive strike that wrong-footed Phiri.

And in stoppage time, Makgalwa turned provider. The winger surged down the left, dribbled into the box and picked out Morice Abraham, who made no mistake, firing a powerful shot into the net to complete Simba’s 6-1 rout.