Since last season, Simba SC has been plagued by a series of injuries to key players, particularly goalkeepers, losing five goalkeepers over two seasons due to various health issues.
This situation has raised concerns about squad depth, especially during this period of intense competition in the Premier League and other tournaments.
The injury saga began with former first-choice goalkeeper Aishi Manula, who suffered a knee injury in 2023. To fill the gap, Simba signed Brazilian goalkeeper Jefferson Luis, but he too was injured during pre-season training in Turkey and was sidelined for an extended period.
The club then brought in Ayoub Lakred, but he too was struck by injury mid-season. It was at this point that Moussa Camara was signed in August 2024. Camara excelled in the 2024/25 season, finishing as the leader with 19 clean sheets, and earned a contract extension until June 2026.
However, at the start of this season, he suffered a right knee injury, underwent surgery, and was expected to be out for more than 10 weeks. He was later removed from the registration list while still recovering.
Hope then shifted to local goalkeeper Yakoub Suleiman, signed from JKT Tanzania. He too suffered a knee injury while with the Tanzania national team en route to AFCON 2025 against Nigeria, keeping him out for two months before his return.
Simba subsequently signed Djibrila Kassali, Niger’s first-choice goalkeeper, as a backup for Camara. In addition to goalkeepers, central defenders Wilson Nangu and Abdulrazak Hamza are also expected to be sidelined for extended periods.
Attacking midfielder Mohamed Bajaber has also been frequently injured since joining, despite recently returning to training.
Captain Shomari Kapombe and Rushine De Reuck have both missed time due to injuries, as have Yusuph Kagoma, Alassane Kante, and Anthony Mligo.
This wave of recurring injuries has at times affected the team’s performance. Simba may need to invest more in ensuring that injured players receive proper treatment promptly to enable quicker returns to their roles.
