Six Simba players to miss CAF clash against Asec Mimosas
Simba SC defenders Israel Mwenda (right), Henoc Inonga and teammates arrive at Julius Nyerere International Airport yesterday shortly before leaving for Ivory Coast to play their CAF Champions League match against Asec Mimosas on Saturday. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Simba departed yesterday for Abidjan ahead of their Group B match scheduled to take place at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny
Dar es Salaam. Mainland Tanzania giants, Simba SC, will miss the services of six players in their crucial Caf Champions League encounter against Asec Mimosas of Ivory Coast on Saturday.
Simba departed yesterday for Abidjan ahead of their Group B encounter that will kick off at 10pm East African time at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny.
The players who will not feature in the encounter includes the team captain John Bocco, Andre Onana, Edwin Balua, Ladaki Chasambi, Saleh Karabaka and Ayoub Lakred. They have been left behind due to various technical reasons, according to the club’s Information manager, Ahmed Ally.
Ally said Bocco and Onana are nursing their injuries while Lakred is serving one match ban due to booking. He said Chasambi and Karabaka have been left out due to technical reasons. He said the players who travelled to Abdijan are goalkeepers Aishi Manula, Ally Salim and Hussein Abel.
Defenders are Shomari Kapombe, Israel Mwenda, David Kameta Duchu, Mohamed Hussein, Henock Inonga, Che Fondoh Malone, Kennedy Juma and Hussein Kazi.
Midfielders are Babacar Sarr, Sadio Kanoute, Fabrice Ngoma, Mzamiru Yassin, Abdallah Khamis, Saido Ntibazonkiza, Kibu Dennis, Luis Miquissone and Clatous Chama.
Strikers are Pa Omary Jobe and Freddy Michael. Simba are second with five points in the group and will need victory in order to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition. According to Ally, the players are in high morale ahead of the match and have promised to do their best in the encounter.
“It is a crucial match for us and we will have to do our best despite playing away. Asec Mimosas are a strong team and that’s why they have qualified for the knockout stage with 10 points, Our players will play with determination although we are facing a tough assignment,” said Ally.
The group B log shows that Jwaneng Galaxy of Botswana are third with four points, and Wydad are at the bottom with three points. Simba, Jwaneng, and Wydad, have a chance to join Asec Mimosas by qualifying for the knockout stage.
Simba will finally play their last match against Jwaneng at 7pm on March 2 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
