Photo Credit - Simba SC Tanzania.
Simba head coach Fadlu Davids has defended forward Leonel Ateba following his penalty miss in the convincing 3-0 Mainland Premier League win against Namungo FC at Majaliwa Stadium on Wednesday.
In the hotly contested fixture, three penalties were awarded to second-placed Simba while one Namungo player was red-carded. Jean Ahoua converted two penalties, while Ateba missed the second spot-kick.
After several attempts, Simba managed to break through in the mid-first half when Jean Ahoua found the back of the net from the penalty spot. However, shortly after, Wekundu wa Msimbazi had a great chance to double their lead but Ateba missed from the same spot.
Ahouba made amends for Ateba’s missed penalty by notching the second from the penalty spot before Steven Mukwala sealed the emphatic victory in the dying minutes of the game.
Speaking after the game, Davids was asked, who is the preferred penalty taker for Simba. The South African replied to Pan-Africa Football: “No, the players have an understanding, who takes the first penalty, who takes the second penalty, Ateba took the second, Ahoua took the first one, and maybe Ateba could have taken the fourth one.
“They have a good understanding, and that is what you have to create in a team, there is no selfishness, there is brotherhood, whoever feels confident to be able to take the penalty, he goes on and takes it.”
On the overall performance of his players, Davids said: “A 3-0 win, a clean sheet and away from home in a very difficult stadium, Simba had six matches played here and only one win for Simba the last time they came here, so to be able to change that with three goals and a clean sheet, I am very proud of the players.
“We had fantastic movements in behind the defence line to create these penalties, to create these moments inside the box, it was a really good performance from the players.”
The win enabled Simba to cut rivals Young Africans (Yanga SC’s) lead at the top of the table to two points as they reached 50 points.
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