Simba, Esperance come out top in East and North African derbies
Tanzania’s Simba SC and Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis emerged victorious in the East and North African TotalEnergies CAF Champions League derbies respectively on Saturday.
Simba beat Uganda’s Vipers 1-0 at the St. Mary’s Stadium in the outskirts of Kampala in the East African derby in Group C while Esperance beat Egyptian side Zamalek 2-0 in Rades to remain top of Group D.
Vipers 0-1 Simba SC
In Kampala, Brazilian coach Roberto Oliveira had a happy return to his former employers Vipers as he led the Tanzanian giants to victory in his first match since moving to Dar es Salaam in January.
Defender Hennock Inonga scored the winner for Simba in the first half, and you could tell just how much it meant to Simba and their coach, with the Brazilian joining the Congolese international in his celebratory dance.
He scored in the 20th minute, running on the blind side of a defender to boot the ball home at the back post after Moses Phiri had nodded a cross into his direction.
Zambian Phiri had been the most exciting player for Simba, and he had some chances before the goal. In the eighth minute, he had found space on the right but his shot came off the side netting.
In the 16th minute he played Dennis Kibu through, but the striker’s effort was well collected by the Vipers keeper.
The home side had chances, with Abdu Lumala striking inches wide after a good shot on the half turn. Skipper Milton Karisa forced a good save off Aishi Manula in the 35th minute when he drove a low shot in, but the custodian pushed it away.
The captain however had to be stretchered off injured at the stroke of halftime, and his place taken by Ibrahim Orit.
In the second half, Vipers pushed to try to get into the game, but they couldn’t get it right in the final third. At the stroke of full time, they were almost caught out on the counter, but Clatous Chama, under pressure from Livingstone Mulondo was wide.
With the victory, Simba climb to third in the table with three points while Vipers remain at the base, winless after three matches in their group stage debut.
Esperance 2-0 Zamalek
In Rades, Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane scored a 92nd minute sucker punch to add on to Mohammed Ali Ben Hammouda’s first half goal as Esperance made it three wins in three matches with a well worked victory over Egypt’s Zamalek.
Taraji sit top of Group D with a maximum nine points from three matches, with four goals scored and they are yet to concede a goal.
Esperance dominated the match and rightly claimed victory in their home turf.
In the 14th minute, Ben Hammouda and Raed Bouchniba both had efforts blocked on the line after Zamalek struggled to clear a set piece. Hamdou Elhouni also had an effort hit the side netting with a shot from the right.
They finally broke the deadlock in the 35th minute, Hammouda volleying the ball home from close range after the Zamalek keeper had punched a cross right into his path.
Zamalek didn’t have much of a response and the closest they came from then on, was via an improvised volley from Shikabala which rolled straight into the keeper’s arms.
In the second half, Zamalek stepped up as they bid to scratch the single goal trail.
But, in their push to get back into the game, they were caught on the counter, Elhouni rolling the ball to Ben Romdhane to slide home in the second minute of added time.
Pressure is now on Zamalek who have lost two matches and have just one point from their draw against AL Merreikh.
Report by CAF online
