Simba head coach Steve Barker says their defeat to Yanga in the Community Shield was painful, but it also gave the team an important opportunity to assess themselves and identify areas that need improvement before the 2026/27 season officially gets underway.
Simba lost 1-0 to Yanga in yesterday's Community Shield match at New Amaan Complex, a result Barker admitted fell short of the club's expectations as they target trophies in the new season.
Speaking shortly after his squad returned to Dar es Salaam from Zanzibar, Barker said he was unhappy with what his players showed, particularly during periods when they controlled the game but failed to make their dominance count.
"We are hurt because we did not achieve our objective. Simba is a big team and we need to win trophies. It was not a good result for us."
Barker said Simba started the match well and controlled the proceedings, but a lack of composure in front of goal prevented them from taking advantage of their dominance.
"We played well for the first 20 to 25 minutes, but we did not make good use of our chances. When our opponents had possession, they made good use of their opportunities."
The coach also explained that after Simba conceded, the team lost its momentum and struggled to maintain the intensity they had shown early in the match.
"After conceding the goal, I think we lost our momentum until the final 10 minutes, when we came back strongly."
Despite the disappointment of losing to their biggest rivals, Barker believes the match was an important part of their preparations because it highlighted the areas they need to improve before the season begins.
"I think, on the other hand, the match helped us see what we need to improve so that we can become stronger. Matches of this nature also help players regain their fitness because we had not played a match at this level of intensity."
Barker also revealed that Simba's leadership is aware of what happened during the match and still has an opportunity to make improvements in the transfer window if they identify areas that need strengthening.
Simba have now turned the page and shifted their focus to the start of the new season. The squad returned to Dar es Salaam early today and is expected to travel to Kagera Region for their opening league match against Kagera Sugar.
