Simba secured their place in the Muungano Cup final in style yesterday with a convincing 3-0 victory over Mlandege FC at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar.
While much attention went to the brilliance of experienced midfielder Clatous Chama—whose second-half introduction changed the game and produced two assists for goals scored by Anicet Oura and Neo Maema—there was also a standout performance in defense from young talent Hussein Mbegu.
It was Mbegu’s second appearance in the tournament under the trust of head coach Steve Barker, and he is already proving to be a promising asset in Simba’s defensive line.
Mbegu walked away with the “Most Disciplined Player” award after delivering a solid 90-minute performance, similar to what he showed in the previous match against Mafunzo FC.
Meanwhile, Maema was named Man of the Match, earning a prize of one million Tanzanian shillings, while Mbegu received five hundred thousand shillings for his efforts.
Mbegu was promoted to the senior team by former coach Fadlu Davids, who included him in the squad for pre-season training in Egypt.
Having now impressed in two high-pressure matches, Mbegu has certainly given coach Barker strong reasons to continue trusting him as he builds experience and confidence at the top level.
