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Backed by a vociferous Benjamin Mkapa crowd that had sizeable support for Vipers, the exuberant atmosphere set the tone for an end-to-end start to the contest.
Clatous Chama Junior inspired Simba SC to a second win in 10 days over Vipers SC, after edging their cross-border opponents 1-0 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in the CAF Champions League.
The defeat extended Vipers’ dismal run to eight games without outright victory, four of which have been defeats in all competitions.
Entering the contest occupying the bottom two spots in Group C, both sides knew it was imperative they got a result.
Backed by a vociferous Benjamin Mkapa crowd that had sizeable support for Vipers, the exuberant atmosphere set the tone for an end-to-end start to the contest.
Vipers fired the first warning shot as Ibrahim Orit failed to find the right power behind his effort which was straight at Aishi Manula.
Simba certainly had the bigger moments after that. Saidi Ntibazonkiza was denied by a brilliant save from Alfred Mudekereza, Mzamiru Yasin shot wide of the target before Moses Phiri was again denied by another top save from Mudekereza.
The hosts were once again left desperately wondering how they hadn’t taken the lead when Mzamiru’s header hit the crossbar.
Wekundu wa Msimbazi eventually took the lead at the stroke of halftime, when Phiri picked up a loose ball and then played Clatous Chama through on goal.
Chama did well to dribble past Ashraf Mandela before squeezing his shot between Mudekereza’s legs for his second goal of the Champions League campaign.
While lackadaisical defending may have been to blame for Simba’s opener, the Venoms did have reason to feel aggrieved shortly after the break when Yunus Ssentamu thought he had drawn level.
However, television replays showed that the forward was played onside by Joash Onyango in the build-up to the goal.
Vipers looked to control the early exchanges of the second half, but the tide turned on them five minutes in as Simba once again started to find constant inroads, but failed to add to their advantage.
The Venoms had a late opportunity to snatch a draw, but Abubakar Lawal’s back heel from close range was straight at Manula.
The defeat is a huge setback in Vipers’ hopes for qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages with progress only still mathematically possible.
In contrast, it was a big result for Simba who now move into second in Group C, especially with Horoya losing to group leaders Raja Casablanca in the other group game.
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