WOMEN’S COMMUNITY SHIELD: Coaches promise stronger final

DAR ES SALAAM: THE stage is set for the finals of the Women’s Community Shield as Simba Queens face JKT Queens, while Mashujaa Queens meet Yanga Princess in the third-place playoff at the KMC Complex in Dar es Salaam tomorrow.

Following the hard-fought semi-final encounters, coaches from all four teams have acknowledged key take-aways from their performances and promised more refined approaches in their next matches.

Simba Queens secured a 2–0 win over Mashujaa Queens, progressing with a composed display that saw them exploit spaces down the flanks. Head Coach Mohamed Mrishona praised his team’s tactical discipline and revealed that their approach had been based on careful analysis of the opposition.

“We studied their style and exploited the spaces they left on the flanks,” Mrishona said. “Our wingers and full-backs played a key role in delivering pressure inside their box. We have several new players and are still building chemistry. I’ve observed challenges in the final third, so we have returned to training with a focus on that area. Our approach in the final will depend on how our opponents have played so far.”

Mashujaa Queens Coach Ally Ally described the match as challenging, attributing his team’s struggles to the pressure of a big occasion and the lack of cohesion among new signings. He also cited the injury of a key defender as a setback that disrupted their game plan.

“It was a tight match for us. We made some early mistakes that forced tactical adjustments,” Ally said. “The injury was a setback, but overall, we’ve learnt valuable lessons. We’ll go back to training and address the small issues we identified.”

JKT Queens booked their place in the final with a dramatic 6–5 win on penalties after a 1–1 draw against Yanga Princess. Coach Kessy Juma acknowledged the resilience of their opponents but expressed satisfaction with the result.

“They were tough and managed to hold us throughout regular time. It wasn’t easy, but we’re happy to have come through in the shootout,” Juma said. “We know the final will be even more demanding and we’re preparing accordingly.”

Despite the loss, Yanga Princess Coach Edna Lema said she was proud of her team’s effort. The match turned against them after they were reduced to 10 players, forcing tactical changes to cope with the numerical disadvantage.

“My players gave everything. It was a close contest and penalties decided the outcome,” Lema said. “Things became more difficult after we went down to 10 players. We had to shift our focus to defending, which limited our attacking options.”