'Nobody has three legs in football' - Simba SC defender Onyango explains secret behind Al Ahly performance

Harambee Star Joash Onyango has explained playing against Al Ahly was a chance for him to gauge himself against some of the best players in Africa.

The two teams played last Tuesday in a Caf Champions League Group A match staged at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. A spectacular Luis Miquissone goal was enough for Wekundu wa Msimbazi to bag maximum points.

Apart from the Mozambican, the Kenya defender was lauded for his solid performance at the back alongside Pascal Wawa.

The former Gor Mahia centre-back has now explained what inspired him to be at his absolute best against the African champions.

"In football, nobody has three legs; if you want to shine, there is no shortcut, you have to show it against good players," Onyango told Goal on Sunday.

"I also wanted to gauge myself against the opponents who had recently played against Bayern Munich [in the Club World Cup].

"In the end, we managed to get a vital win at home which took us top of the group."

The 28-year-old has further revealed what coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa told them before the match.

"The unity we have, as players helped us fight together and get a positive outcome against Al Ahly," Onyango added.

"Like in defence, the coach told us to give our best and keep a clean sheet because it will help us in getting the result we need to advance."

Despite failing to hit the target, the Red Devils tried their best in the final third and Onyango further revealed the player who was a threat in the entire game and why he managed to stop him.

"Walter Bwalya was a threat to us, but I am glad we managed to stop him from hurting us. His level is good; he is a quality player but I was not scared of him," he concluded.

The win took the Tanzanians top of their group with maximum points after an initial win against Democratic Republic of Congo side AS Vita. Chris Mugalu scored the goal that gave them the victory. 

The 21-time league champions are the only team with a 100% winning record in the group and as a result, they are on six points.

AS Vita bounced back from their loss to Simba by defeating Al Merrikh 4-1 away at Al-Hilal Stadium, Omdurman.