Simba SC assistant coach Selaman Matola has sent a message to their rivals in the Mainland Premier League to forget about the top position until the end of the season.
The Msimbazi giants moved top of the 18-team table for the first time this season after their 1-0 win against Gwambina FC but opened up a four-point gap at the summit after demolishing Dodoma Jiji 3-1 at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Tuesday.
Matola has now told Goal their opponents including rivals Yanga SC should forget about seeing Simba lose the top spot insisting their intention to claim the position was delayed because they are also taking part in the Caf Champions League.
“Our plan from now on is to stay at the top of the table until the end of the season, I want to make it clear we will not leave the position until we win the title,” Matola told Goal.
“We would have taken command of the top position a long time ago but our participation in the Caf competition delayed us from taking the position, but now that we have reclaimed it for the first time this season, our rivals should forget displacing us.
“Right now we will fight not to give away the position [top spot], until the end of the season, we will now make sure we win all our remaining matches so as we can keep the spot, I don’t see any team removing us from the position.”
Against Dodoma Jiji, the Wekundu wa Msimbazi registered their fifth straight win in the span of 14 days after goals from Chris Mugalu (2) and Luis Miquissone ensured they ran away as winners.
In an earlier interview, Matola told Goal that despite the boys displaying a poor show in the first half, they were the better side in the second period and deserved to win the game.
“Our first half was not good, we created many chances and the boys could not convert them into goals, but I think our players took the first casually as they looked relaxed,” Matola told Goal.
“But in the second half, somehow the team increased the tempo and looked more dangerous than the previous half and created chances and also scored goals, but I also want to thank the players for the win because we have now played five matches in 14 days and they must be tired.”
The win saw Simba reach 61 points from 25 matches, four more than second-placed Yanga SC, who have 57 from 27 matches while Azam FC are third on 54 points from 28 outings.
Simba will now shift their focus to the domestic cup title defence when they come up against Kagera Sugar at Mkapa Stadium on Saturday.
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