Mohammed Bajaber Wins Second Trophy in Tanzania to End Nightmare Season on a High

Harambee Stars playmaker Mohammed Bajaber has secured a second major trophy with his club Simba SC after they clinched the 2025-26 Tanzanian FA Cup with a narrow 1-0 victory over Azam FC.

While Bajaber was not on the pitch for the final at Gombani Stadium, he was part of the squad that celebrated a hard-fought cup run. The win provides a silver lining to a challenging debut season for the winger, who has struggled with injuries since his move to Tanzania.

The final itself was a tense and closely contested match. The first half was a cagey affair, with both teams cancelling each other out and creating few clear chances, resulting in a goalless stalemate at the break.

The decisive moment arrived 16 minutes into the second half. Under pressure from the Simba attack, Azam defender Yahya Zayid unfortunately directed the ball into his own net, gifting the Msimbazi Reds a lead they would not relinquish.

Azam pushed hard for an equaliser in the remaining minutes, but Simba's defence held firm to protect their slim advantage and secure the trophy.

This victory was a moment of redemption for Simba, who had lost last season's final 1-0 to their fierce rivals, Yanga SC. This time, they made no mistake, claiming their sixth FA Cup title in the club's history.

Simba's path to the final was dominant. They began their campaign with a 3-1 win against Dodoma Jiji, followed by a commanding 4-0 quarter-final victory over TRA United. A subsequent 4-0 thrashing of Coastal Union in the semi-finals set the stage for their ultimate triumph against Azam.

For Bajaber, this FA Cup win is his second piece of silverware with the Tanzanian giants after lifting the Muungano Cup following victory over bitter rivals Yanga in April.

The victory also highlights a successful week for Kenyan players in Tanzania, coming just days after midfielder Duke Abuya won the Tanzania Premier League title with Yanga SC on Tuesday.