Simba SC completed a home and away double over Uganda’s champions Vipers in the East African Derby, to raise their point tally to six and keep their quarter final hopes alive.
Clatous Chama scored the lone goal for Wekundu wa Msimbazi who now need to earn at least four points from their next match to qualify for the next round. Vipers’ hopes are now reduced to mathematical chances as they are bottom with one point.
They have an away trip to Horoya and a home duel against Raja and they must win both to have a realistic chance.
Chama scored Simba’s winner at the stroke of halftime when he squeezed the ball between the keeper’s legs from a tight angle on the left.
Before that, the home side which enjoyed 62pc of possession in the opening half had good chances, with Saidi Ntibazonkiza denied by an acrobatic save from the keeper with a swinging shot before his header came off the bar.
In the second half, Vipers came off pushing to get back into the game and they thought they had scored their first goal in the group stage, but Yunus Sentamu’s effort was chalked off for offside.
In the 89th minute, Abubakar Lawal should have done better when a recycled corner was brought back into the area, but his effort with an audacious backheel spiraled straight to the keeper’s arms.
