Sevilla Leave It Late To Down Brave Simba In SportPesa Challenge 9-Goal Drama

23rd May 2019 - by Mutwiri Mutuota

Nolito and John Bocco traded braces for the Spanish visitors and Tanzanian champions as the La Liga sides completed stirring comeback with 5-4 victory on their maiden tour to East Africa

Sevilla FC (in white) and Simba SC players pose ahead of their SportPesa Challenge, La Liga World clash at the National Main Stadium, Dar-es-Salaam on May 23, 2019. PHOTO/SPN

SUMMARY

On their first ever tour to East Africa, the Spanish giants completed a stirring comeback from 2-4 down in the last five minutes and time added on when they struck thrice without reply as freshly minted Tanzania Premier League (TPL) champions imploded in spectacular fashion
In less than five minutes, it was 3-2 to Simba when Nolito produced a fine finish to crown the good work of Bryan Gil on the right flank
John Bocco for Simba and Nolito from Sevilla traded braces with Meddie Kagere and Calistous Chama also netting for the home side during the mind-blowing historic fixture organised via the partnership of the Spanish top flight league, La Liga and technology and entertainment business, SportPesa

DAR-ES-SALAAM, Tanzania- Five-time UEFA Europa League winners Seviila FC left it very late to break the hearts of brave Simba SC 5-4 in an enthralling SportPesa Challenge, La Liga World historic friendly at the National Main Stadium in Dar-es-Salaam on Thursday evening.

On their first ever tour to East Africa, the Spanish giants completed a stirring comeback from 2-4 down in the last five minutes and time added on when they struck thrice without reply as freshly minted Tanzania Premier League (TPL) champions imploded in spectacular fashion.

John Bocco for Simba and Nolito from Sevilla traded braces with Meddie Kagere and Calistous Chama also netting for the home side during the mind-blowing historic fixture organised via the partnership of the Spanish top flight league, La Liga and technology and entertainment business, SportPesa.

Sergio Escudero had brought the scores to 1-3 to the La Liga titans in the first half goal fest with rampaging defender Quincy Promes and an own goal from the unfortunate Rashid Juma adding to the Nolito double for Sevilla who snatched victory by sealing a jaw-dropping comeback to leave the vocal home supporters at the biggest stadium in Tanzania shell-shocked in the end.

At a rocking National Stadium where a sizeable crowd came to witness history, the home fans were sent into jubilation as early as the eighth minute when star striker, John Bocco put the Tanzanian champions ahead after being set up by the mercurial Kagere.

They were in dreamland eight minutes later when Kagere took up the finishing duties when he capitalised on a defensive lapse from the La Liga side to put Simba 2-0 up.

Cue bedlam in the stands as the Simba faithful broke into their full repertoire of songs and dance as the five-time Europa League winners looked stunned in the coastal commercial capital of Tanzania, dazed by the lightning start from the home side who clinched a 19th TPL crown on Monday when they beat Mbao FC 2-0.

Scrappy defending

As expected, the Spanish visitors were bossing possession and they pulled one back as the game edged past the 20th but not with the kind of goal Spanish sides are renowned for.

From a corner, Simba failed to clear the lines, with the ball bobbling inside the box before it fell kindly for left-back Sergio Escudero who thumped it in for 3-1 as another scrappy piece of defending was punished.

Containing the star power of free-scoring French international, Wissam Ben Yadder and the feared player, Argentine Ever Banega, the visitors went on to dominate the midfield without making headway past the Wekundu wa Msimbazi (Msimbazi Reds) defence, with their keeper Aishi Manula a mere spectator to proceedings.

In the 32nd minute, Sevilla who qualified for the Europa League by finishing sixth in La Liga during the final round of the Spanish top flight last weekend were made to pay by another classic sucker punch from Simba.

After losing the ball, Kagere who was tormenting the visiting rear guard at every available opportunity, charged forward and it was suddenly three versus two with the Uganda born Rwandese forward picking up the charging Bocco to his right.

Simba SC fans in carnival mood during the SportPesa Challenge, La Liga World clash against Spanish giants Sevilla FC at the National Main Stadium in Dar-es-Salaam on Thursday, May 23, 2019. PHOTO/SPN

The Tanzanian celebrated striker took a touch to steady himself and made no mistake, beating Sevilla keeper Juan Soriano for 3-1 with a sweet low finish that crept into the Spanish keeper’s near post.

That stung Sevilla into action but it was Simba who came close to extending the lead once again when Jonas Mkude’s effort narrowly missed the inside post from yet another raid after the visitors’ surrendered possession.

Simba keeper, Manula was then brought into action to punch away a Nolito header in the 41st and as the half wound down to a close, Simon Kjaer escaped inflicting more punishment on Sevilla when he almost turned the ball into his own net.

A raft of half time substitutions that saw Ben Yedder depart for Sevilla with Munir Haddadi coming on among others precluded the start of the second stanza.

In less than five minutes, it was 3-2 to Simba when Nolito produced a fine finish to crown the good work of Bryan Gil on the right flank.

Late implosion

The joy for the La Liga giants was short lived however, when they contrived to concede a fourth.

In what was now the honoured pattern of this landmark friendly, the Spanish side lost the ball and stood off waiting for the offside flag when Bocco tore through their right and turned into the byline before playing the ball to the centre for any marauding teammate to finish.

Zambian Calistous Chama broke through centre and into the box and after two attempts, tucked in from close range in the 62nd for 4-2 to rouse the home fans who had gone silent after Sevilla turned on the screw before conceding once more on the counter.

The back-to-back TPL titleholders held on the sizable advantage until the final five when they imploded to produce and epic finish to a contest played in great football spirit, with Banega who went to the book in the 39th the only player to end in the referee's book when he was yellow carded.

Dutch Winger Quincy Promes was a constant menace on the left, with Simba giving him the freedom of the National Stadium throughout the second half and they paid dearly for it. He was in the right place at the right time to force the ball past Manula when the Simba keeper spilled a shot from the substitute Haddadi.

The theatre was just getting started. Promes then forced defender Juma to turn the ball into his own net when he attacked a cutback from the left on the stroke of full-time before Nolito struck the final blow and break Simba’s hearts when a daisy cutter from outside the box in the fourth minute of time added on completed the stirring comeback.

The only fans cheering when the final whistle brought this humdinger of a football match to an end were those of Simba bitter domestic rivals, Yanga SC who found their throats at the very last to toast an unbelievable comeback from Sevilla.

Sevilla FC star Nolito in action during the SportPesa Challenge La Liga World clash against Simba SC at the National Main Stadium, Dar-es-Salaam on May 23, 2019. PHOTO/SPN