Holders Simba under pressure

Patrick Phiri is certainly spending sleepless nights as both the Mainland premiership and CAF Champions League assignments are posing threat to his reputation.

Having led Simba to a flawless premiership title haul the previous season, Phiri has seen his side losing grip in the ongoing season while the urgency to retain title is haunting him like hell.

Trailing Azam and Yanga by a point, Simba have crucial hurdle to go through as they face Mtibwa Sugar at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam tomorrow.

Mtibwa Sugar, who are equally competitive, lost the first leg played at the Jamhuri Stadium in Morogoro on September 29 last year the hard way.

The visitors, who shattered Yanga’s 14-premiership match unbeaten run on February 2 at the Uhuru Stadium, are still strong enough to inflict claws on the holders’ flesh as well.

It is a crucial tie for Simba should they need to keep their title retention bid on track for the second successive season.

Besides tomorrow’s assignment against Mtibwa Sugar, Simba have rivals Yanga to take care hardly a week later.

The two premiership assignments keep their Zambian coach Patrick Phiri at the cross.

Simba will be passing through a torrid moment to realise their title aspiration dream in a situation they have no margin of error except to post victories.

Taking into consideration of a porous defence and goalkeeping nightmares of their first choice Juma Kaseja, Phiri needs to dig deep into his technical formulas to sail through the hurdles.

Should Simba lost the two next games, certainly the morale to contest TP Mazembe in the second round of the CAF Champions league will be severely dented.

Despite a relief of clearing the sick bay, Phiri still has the strong headache to overturn the first leg defeat inflicted by Yanga for fans and leaders of his team to relish success.

Losing six points in two matches will be a sever blow to Simba while Yanga and Azam would cherish the failure to march head for the podium finish.