High flying Raja down Simba in Tanzania, Petro win away to Vita

Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca continued with their emphatic start to the group stages of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League after seeing off Tanzania’s Simba 3-0 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Saturday.

Simba looked to have held their own, but cracked in the final 10 minutes of the game to concede twice and diminish their slimmest hopes to take at least a draw from the game.

Hamza Khabba had given the visitors a first half lead, but Simba seemed to have picked themselves up and looked determined for a good result at home.

However, Soufiane Benjdida scored the second for Raja in the 83rd minute before Ismail Mokadem’s penalty two minutes later sealed the victory.

With the result, Raja, who last weekend thrashed Uganda’s Vipers 5-0 sit top of Group C with a maximum six points while Simba sit bottom of the group with zero points after back to back losses.

Khabba gave Raja the lead on the half hour mark with a beautiful strike into the roof of the net from the edge of the box after being played through by Zakaria Habti.

It was a well deserved lead as they had played better, and they took it to the halftime break.

In the second half, Simba came back more determined and pushed Raja to defend deep, looking for that crucial goal to take them back into the tie.

John Bocco came close when he slid in to try to connect to a Clatous Chama freekick but he was a few seconds late as Anas Zniti collected the ball before him.

Simba continued their push, but were put off with seven minutes left when Benjdida scored the second for Raja. The substitute who had just spent six minutes on the pitch controlled the ball inside the box before volleying beyond Aishi Manula.

Raja sealed the tie two minutes later when Mokadem scored from the spot after Joash Onyango committed a foul inside the box.

Simba tried to rally late for a goal back with Moses Phiri and Jean Baleke having shots go just wide.

AS Vita Club 1-2 Petro de Luanda

Elsewhere in Kinshasa, Petro de Luanda picked up a precious 2-1 win away to AS Vita Club. Tiago Azulao and Anderson Cruz scored in either half, while Vita’s consolation was scored by Eric Kabwe.

With the result, Petro who started their campaign with a draw against JS Kabilye move top of the group with four points.