Matola applauds disciplined Simba

DAR ES SALAAM: SIMBA marched to a commanding 3-0 victory over Namungo at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, with coach Suleiman Matola hailing his players’ discipline and work rate, while his counterpart Juma Mgunda pointed to defensive lapses and the opponents’ superior experience as decisive.

Speaking in their respective post-match interviews, both coaches reflected on a contest that laid bare the gulf in quality and composure between the two sides.

Mgunda, who maintained his trademark smile despite the setback, admitted that Simba’s pedigree told on the day.

“We thank God the match ended safely. Losing is part of football, isn’t it? But why did we lose?” he posed.

“I said prior to the match that Simba have top-quality players. If you repeat mistakes against them, they punish you. Unfortunately, our defence committed those errors.”

The Namungo coach added that the early injury to striker Makambo disrupted his entire game plan.

“He is one of my key strikers. Losing him within the first 10 minutes forced us to reshuffle and it changed the dynamics.” Nonetheless, Mgunda praised the effort of his players and vowed to correct their shortcomings.

“We accept what happened, but we will go back to the training ground and fix our mistakes so they don’t repeat against teams of Simba’s calibre,” he said.

On the opposite bench, Matola was full of praise for his side’s execution. “Credit to the players,” he said.

“We held several meetings analysing why our performances had dipped. The solutions we worked on in training were put into practice and today (Wednesday) the boys delivered,” he said.

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Matola stressed that Simba’s style is not just about winning, but also managing and enjoying the game.

“This is Simba’s football—calm, composed and effective. That’s what we want to maintain throughout the season,” he said.

The coach was also delighted that two of the goals came from central defenders, with the third scored by substitute striker Selemani Mwalimu.

“When every player on the pitch is a potential scorer, you become less predictable and more dangerous,” Matola noted.

For Simba, the victory not only restored confidence but also sent a message that they are rediscovering their rhythm.

For Namungo, it was a night of hard lessons and a reminder that mistakes at this level rarely go unpunished.

After their victory over Namungo, Simba now lead the Tanzania Mainland Premier League standings with six points, level with Singida Black Stars but ahead on goal difference.

Simba have netted six goals compared to Singida’s two, giving them the edge at the summit.

The Reds have played two matches and won both, underlining their strong start to the campaign.