Simba continued their 100% winning start in the NBC Premier League after defeating JKT Tanzania 2–1 on Saturday, November 8, 2025. The match, which felt like a real battle due to the hosts’ physical play, added to Simba’s dominant record over the army side.
The come-from-behind victory lifted Simba to the top of the league standings with nine points from three matches—level with Pamba Jiji, who briefly led after a 1–1 draw with Singida Black Stars.
Simba remains the only team in the league this season to have won all three of their opening games. Although they conceded for the first time this campaign, having kept clean sheets in their first two 3–0 victories, they maintained their perfect run thanks to super-sub Jonathan Sowah.
Sowah, who replaced Steven Mukwala in the 60th minute, took just 16 minutes to turn the game around. He equalized after JKT had taken the lead through Edward Songo, and then sealed the win in the 76th minute after Wilson Nangu had leveled for Simba.
The match also marked Simba manager Dimitar Pantev’s first 90 minutes in the Premier League since taking over from Fadlu Davids. Previously, Simba had been under assistant coach Seleman Matola on paper, as Pantev does not yet meet the official criteria to be registered as head coach.
Despite the stiff challenge, Simba displayed their class and dominated possession for most of the 90 minutes. The victory extended their strong record against JKT, whom they defeated both home and away last season by identical 1–0 scorelines.
JKT attempted to unsettle Simba with a highly physical style of play, committing six fouls in the first half compared to Simba’s two. However, Simba avoided being drawn into physical battles, instead choosing to focus on ball control and composure.
One visible concern for Simba was the lack of connection between the midfielders and forwards, with few clear scoring opportunities created in the first half. The best chance came when Joshua Mutale went one-on-one with JKT goalkeeper Omar Gonzo, who made a fine save.
This attacking disconnect is an area Pantev will need to address, especially considering Simba’s recent Champions League home performances—where they have scored just once in two matches, and that goal came from a penalty.
All three goals in the JKT match highlighted defensive lapses from both teams. For JKT’s goal, Edward Songo was left unmarked inside the box despite six Simba defenders being present. Similarly, Simba’s first goal came from a simple header by Wilson Nangu after poor marking, while the winning goal resulted from a misplaced pass that allowed Morice Abraham to drive forward and set up Sowah, as JKT defenders failed to clear the ball effectively.
Both coaches, Ahmed Ally and Dimitar Pantev, will have work to do in tightening their defenses, as all three goals stemmed from moments of poor concentration and positional errors.
