Simba SC in challenging CAF Confederation Cup group

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s sole campaigner in the African CAF Confederation Cup, Simba Sports Club, have been handed a seemingly tough draw in the group stage of the competition.

At the draw ceremony conducted in Cairo, Egypt yesterday, the Tanzania’s flag bearer housed in Group D together with Renaissance Berkane of Morocco, ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire) and Niger’s US Garde Nationale (NIG).

The first group stage encounter is scheduled to take place on February 13 according to the draw and Simba will play against Asec Mimosas and later play against US Garse Natiomale before taking on RS Berkane in the final groups’ stages.

Teams forming group A are Pyramids (Egypt), CS Sfaxien (Tunisia), Zanaco (Zambia) and Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya while group teams are JS Kabylie (Algeria) or Royal Leopard (ESW), Orlando Pirates (Repubic of South Africa), JS Saoura (Algeria)and Al Ittihad of Libya.

Group C are TP Mazembe of DR Congo, Coton Sport (Cameroon), Al Masry (Egypt) and AS Otoho of Congo Brazzaville. Group winners and runners-up qualify for quarter-finals of the tournament.

Speaking to The Citizen yesterday, Simba’s board director member Mlamu Ng’ambi said they would not underrate any team in the group stage.

Mlamu said all teams that have qualified to the stage are tough, saying they face very strong challenges in both home and away matches. “It is challenging group. We will face mixed teams. There are teams whose strengths we know, and others that we don’t. But in football you need to rate them equally as anything is possible in football,” said Mlamu.

He said that they were aware the former midfielder Clatous Chama will be playing against them for the first time. Chama was among the dependable attacking midfielder in the team before the club’s decision to sell him to RS Berkane.

Apart from Chama, RS Berkane comprise former Young Africans (Yanga) speed winger Tuisila Kisinda. Both Kisinda and Chama playing for Morocco’s side for the first time.

“We have strategies ahead of the matches. We did that soon after qualifying, so we are not intimidated by any team and yet we don’t underate any side,” said Mlamu.

He said the task remains for the technical bench to prepare its plan that will enable the team to sail through to the knockout stages.

“As I said, football is changing daily, so we should not expect the same technical plan applied by RS Berkane head coach Florent Ibenge when with As Vita of DR Congo would be applied again. So we should not hope that there are easy going against Ibenge’s team. He is now in different team with different players,” he said.