Simba Roar In Champions League: Kagere Stunner Shocks Al Ahly

13th February 2019 - by SPN Correspondent

Victory in Dar-es-Salaam against the holders throws Group D of the elite CAF continental club competition wide open

GOOD JOB GUYS: Meddie Kagere (right) looks on as his Simba SC teammates celebrate scoring against AFC Leopards SC in the fourth and last quarterfinal of the 2019 SportPesa Cup at the Main National Stadium in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania on January 23, 2019. PHOTO/AFP

SUMMARY

The victory for Simba comes just 10 days after they suffered humiliation defeat of 5-0 in the reverse in the Mediterranean resort city of Alexandria
Simba jumps to second place in Group D on six points, one shy of leaders Ahly, courtesy of a Meddie Kagere strike in the 64th minute that caught the Egyptians by surprise
Nigerian-import, Oluwafemi Ajayi squander a clear chance to level the score for the visitors in the dying minutes of the game following a miscommunication between Manula and defender Zana Coulibaly inside the six yard

DAR-ES-SALAAM, Tanzania- Tanzania champions Simba beat Egyptian giants Al Ahly 1-0 at the National Stadium, Dar es Salaam to revive their hopes of a next round berth in the CAF Champions League.

The victory for Simba comes just 10 days after they suffered humiliation defeat of 5-0 in the reverse in the Mediterranean resort city of Alexandria.

Simba jumps to second place in Group D on six points, one shy of leaders Ahly, courtesy of a Meddie Kagere strike in the 64th minute that caught the Egyptians by surprise.

"It was a good game for us today (Tuesday). After the big loss in Alexandria we had to change a couple of things and I am happy that we did well. In the first half, we were not that clinical but we kept the spirit in the second half and we managed to score the winner. The group now is open, we have two more games, and we will see what we can get," Simba Belgian coach, Patrick Aussems said after the victory.

His opposite number, Martin Lasarte, hailed the Dar giants for outclassing his injury-depleted squad in a result that threw Group D of the elite continental club competition wide open.

"We have lost an important game, well done to Simba. We played well but we didn’t get good results. Now we have two more games to finish the group stage, and we are still at the top, we will fight to get good chance of progressing to the next stage," Lasarte stated.

Several chances

The holders dominated the game, creating several chances through forwards Emmanuel Okwi, John Bocco and Kagere, but Ahly goalie Mohammed Elshenawy was equal to the task and quelled all the threats.

Ahly strike first in the opening minute of the game through Hussein Elshahat but Simba goalie, Aishi Manula responded with a superb save to help his side to remain in contention.

Ghana-import James Kotei, Okwi, Kagere and defender Serge Wawa had shots on goal for Simba in the opening quarter of an hour, but their efforts caused no trouble to Elshenawy.

Simba continued its domination, creating two more chances in the second quarter of the game, before Elshahat lost a chance to open the deadlock after his shot at near post went wide.

Manula denied Elshahat yet again in the first half, whilst Kagere came closer to breaking duck just before the break.

Simba started the second half on a high momentum, creating four clear chances in just five minutes through Bocco and Okwi, but all went in vain.

It was only a matter of time that the opener would come and it did come four minutes past the hour mark from a close range shot, from a Bocco assist. It was his sixth goal of the campaign.

Nigerian-import, Oluwafemi Ajayi squander a clear chance to level the score for the visitors in the dying minutes of the game following a miscommunication between Manula and defender Zana Coulibaly inside the six yard.

-Report by CAF online