Fadlu: Our first mission in CAF Cup encounter accomplished

Dar es Salaam. Simba Sports Club head coach Fadlu Davids has said that his team still has work to do in the second leg of their CAF Confederation Cup tie against Al Ahly Tripoli, despite completing the first part of their mission with a draw in Libya.

Simba secured a goalless draw against Al Ahly Tripoli at the Tripoli National Stadium last Sunday, a result that puts the Msimbazi Street giants in a position where a win of any margin at home will send them through to the group stage.

If the second leg ends in another scoreless draw, the match will be decided by penalties to determine the winner.

Speaking after the match, Fadlu said they faced strong opposition and need to train intensively ahead of the return leg, aiming for victory.

The South African tactician stressed that they must play with caution in order to secure the win. "My players did well in the first leg, and I believe we will play even better in the return match to secure a win," said Fadlu.

 "Our first mission was to avoid defeat on away ground, and we achieved that despite the intense atmosphere. We're thankful for the result, and the experience in Libya should serve as a lesson for our fans. I urge them to come out in full force and fill the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, just as the Al Ahly Tripoli fans did." Fadlu also admitted that the match provided a clear understanding of their opponents' quality, even though the Al Ahly coach made a few player changes.

"Al Ahly clearly came prepared to win, but the result left their fans disappointed. We will now focus on intensive training and work on correcting some of the mistakes we made. Our approach for the return leg will be determined and cautious," he added.

He stressed that the return leg will be decisive for both teams, but he is confident they will perform well and qualify for the group stage. The match will be held at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Sunday at 4pm East Africa time.