DAR ES SALAAM: THE Malian forward Ibrahim Doumbia ends his scoring frustration with a brace in Simba’s 6-1 demolition of 15 de Agosto, putting the Reds in a commanding position ahead of Sunday’s return leg in Dar es Salaam.

Simba striker Doumbia finally found his scoring touch, ending his goal drought since the start of the season with a brace in the Reds’ emphatic 6-1 victory over 15 de Agosto in the first leg of their CAF Champions League second preliminary round tie at Uhuru Stadium on Wednesday..

The forward’s longawaited breakthrough provided a major talking point after Simba’s display, with head coach Steve Barker expressing delight at seeing the young striker rewarded for his persistence despite the pressure that comes with leading the line for one of Tanzania’s biggest clubs.

Barker, who has consistently backed Doumbia to come good, said the goals should provide relief for the striker, whose hard work on the training ground had never gone unnoticed.

“I have always maintained that he’s a really good player and that his time will come. So, it was good for him to score the goals. Just a relief, I think, more than anything for him,” Barker said.

“He’s still young. He’s still growing and learning, but he gives us a lot. I’m really, really happy for him. He’s never stopped training well. He keeps trying hard, and the whole team is behind him.”

While Doumbia’s brace stole the spotlight, Barker was equally pleased with the collective effort that transformed Simba’s dominance into a convincing scoreline.

The coach explained that his team’s patient possession in the first half helped wear down their opponents before the introduction of fresh legs increased the intensity after the break.

Simba’s substitutes made a significant impact, with Barker highlighting the contributions of Doumbia and Makgalwa, Morice Abraham, who scored, while other replacements helped maintain the team’s attacking momentum.

“We kept the ball well, so once you get into the second half, the opposition start tiring from all the possession that we have,” he said. “Then obviously we can bring in people like Doumbia, Keletso and Morice to keep the energy and tempo of the game going.”