In a thrilling clash yesterday, the NBC Premier League resumed with Simba SC hosting Coastal Union at the Kinondoni Municipal Stadium. The match ended in a dramatic 2-2 draw, leaving both sides to share the points.
Simba SC took an early lead, with goals from defender Mohamed Hussein and Leonel Ateba putting the hosts ahead. By halftime, it seemed Simba was comfortably in control.
However, Coastal Union mounted a strong comeback in the second half, with Abdallah Hassan and Hernest Malonga scoring to level the playing field.
After the match, Simba SC head coach Fadlu Davids expressed his thoughts on the performance and the upcoming challenges.
"If you ask me, today's draw against Coastal Union is a valid motivation for my players as we approach the derby. It helps us temper the media's praise and criticism," Davids remarked.
"Every day, I say we are not at that level yet. The media praises us when we don’t concede, but that’s not the full picture of football," he added
Davids' words highlighted his belief that Simba still has room for improvement, despite their promising display.
On the other side, Coastal Union coach Joseph Lazaro praised his team for their tactical approach.
"Their quality gave us this result. We respected Simba, but when they let their guard down, they thought they could score four goals against us. That’s when they fell into our trap. We scored all our goals by surprise and punished them," said Lazaro, reflecting on how his team seized the opportunity to secure the draw.
This exciting encounter sets the stage for even more intense competition in the coming matches, with Simba SC aiming to rise to the occasion and Coastal Union proving they can stand up to the league’s giants.
