Barker: It was not easy against Azam

DAR ES SALAAM: SIMBA SC coach Steve Barker hailed his players after their 2-0 victory over Azam FC on Wednesday, saying the result was a significant step in their push for the Premier League title. Simba secured the three points at the Azam Complex Stadium while keeping a clean sheet, extending their strong start to the campaign.

“I am very proud of my boys. We got good result and this was a top performance. During the match every player played his part and gave everything for the team,” Barker said in a postmatch interview.

“Am happy with the win and playing against Azam is not an easy game. They are one of the top teams in the league,” he added Barker said the victory was particularly important after Simba struggled to get the better of Azam last season.

“We wanted these three points because we are still challenging for the league title,” he said Azam FC Head Coach, Florent Ibenge blamed his team’s defeat on lapses in concentration, particularly when Simba scored from a free-kick situation.

ALSO READ: Simba, Azam cross swords

“The game was quite good in the first half, but we did not create enough opportunities to score,” Ibenge said “My players lacked concentration, and when you concede from a free kick like that, it means you have lost concentration,” he noted Ibenge also praised Simba for their counterattacking football, saying they played very well.

“Simba were very good in counter-attacks. Congratulations to them; they played very well,” he said The Azam coach said his team must now work harder in the upcoming matches after losing valuable points.

He also explained that, “Changes were made to the team because some key players were not performing as expected and the team lost possession too easily.”

The post Barker: It was not easy against Azam appeared first on Daily News.