Tanzania's Simba bow out of Caf Champions League

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania

The Tanzania football champions, Simba Sports Club suffered a shock defeat at home to exit the competition in which they reached quarter-finals last season.

Simba have been eliminated from the Caf Champions League after suffering a 3-1 defeat against Jwaneng Galaxy in a return leg battle at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Sunday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi headed into the match with the advantage since they had won the first leg 2-0 in Botswana, but they could not make it count as they threw away a first-half lead for a 3-3 final scoreline to bow out on the away goal rule.

It was Simba who scored first when Larry Bwalya drilled home from close range in the 41st minute and they continued to search for more goals but Jwaneng Galaxy remained tight at the back to keep it at 1-0 at half-time.

However, in the second half, the game turned in favour of the visitors and they drew level on the night in the 46th minute when Wendel Rudath evaded Simba defenders to beat goalkeeper Aishi Manula with a low effort.

In the 60th minute, Rudath completed his double with a fine finish from a well-delivered corner before Gape Mohutsiwa put the nail into Simba’s coffin with the third goal in the 86th minute.

During the first meeting in Gaborone, the Tanzanian champions scored their two goals through captain John Bocco.

Last season, Simba reached the quarter-finals of the competition but they were eliminated by Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa on a 4-3 aggregate win.

Chiefs won the first round meeting 4-0 at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg but a spirited fight by Simba to overturn the result at Mkapa Stadium could not bore the fruits as they only managed to win 3-0.