STARS ABROAD: Bajaber leads Simba to cup final as Harambee Stars keeper frustrates Mamelodi

Harambee Stars forward Mohammed Bajaber was once again in action for Tanzanian side Simba SC as they secured passage to the Muungano Cup final on Sunday, 26 April.

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Bajaber, who last week made a return to the team following a lengthy spell with injury, was named in Simba’s starting lineup, as they ran out 3-0 winners over Mlandege in a semifinal clash staged at the New Amaan Complex.

After a barren draw in the first half, Simba took the lead four minutes after the hour-mark through Selemani Mwalimu, before Anicet Oura added a second in the 77th minute.

Neo Maema then netted a curler in the 89th minute to wrap the comfortable win for Simba, who will now come up against rivals Yanga in the final on Wednesday, 29 April.

Elsewhere in South Africa, Harambee Stars goalkeeper Ian Otieno was on top of his game as his Richards Bay side forced Mamelodi Sundowns to a barren draw in a Premiership game played at the uMhlathuze Stadium.

Otieno, 32, was flawless on the night, as he ensured his team secured a second consecutive clean sheet, to extend their unbeaten run to four games.

The point saw Richards Bay remain 10th in the top-tier league, with 31 points.

Also in South Africa, Otieno’s fellow Harambee Stars custodian Brian Bwire was again missing in action for Polokwane, as they beat Stellenbosch 1-0 at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban.

Bwire, 25, last featured for his club on 31 January, when Polokwane drew 2-2 with Orbit College.

Across Europe, Kenyan defender Daniel Anyembe was back in his team’s lineup as Viborg FF returned to winning ways with a 1-0 win over Nordsjaelland in the Danish Superliga Championship Group.

Anyembe, who missed out on Viborg’s 1-0 defeat to Brondby in midweek, featured for 70 minutes, with their first win in three matches pushing them to fourth position, on 43 points.

In Romania, Harambee Stars midfielder Richard Odada played all minutes of UTA Arad’s barren draw against Farul Constanta in the Superliga relegation group.

The point saw Arad move a point clear in eighth, which is one of the two positions to remain in the top tier next season.

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Meanwhile, in Poland, Kenyan midfielder Timothy ‘Babu’ Owino was on the field for 78 minutes as his on-loan side Lech Poznan smashed Legia 4-0 in the Ekstraklasa.

His start on Sunday was his first since 7 March, when Ouma played all 90 minutes of Poznan’s 2-1 defeat to Widzew Lodz in the league.

Their heavy win saw them remain top of the league, where they are three points clear of second-placed Gornik Zabrze with four games remaining.

As for Harambee Stars defender Zak Vyner, his spell on the sidelines with a groin injury extended to a fifth straight game, as his English side Wrexham suffered a 3-1 defeat to EFL Championship winners Coventry City at the CBS Arena.

Sunday’s defeat did not set fire to Wrexham’s promotion bid, however, as they remain sixth on 70 points, and just a goal separates them from Hull in seventh.

The Red Dragons play their season-decider against another promotion-chaser - Middlesbrough - on Saturday, 2 May.

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