Manula and Mutale miss Simba’s crucial CAF tie against CS Sfaxien
What you need to know:
- Simba SC currently sit third in the group standings with six points from three matches, having won two and lost one
Dar es Salaam. Notable Simba players, goalkeeper Aishi Manula and attacking midfielder, Zambian Joshua Mutale, are not part of the team ahead of the crucial CAF Confederation Cup match against Tunisian side CS Sfaxien.
The encounter, to be held this Sunday, is scheduled to start at 7pm East African time at the historic Stade Taïeb Mehiri, built in 1938, located in Sfax town, approximately 270 kilometres from Tunis.
Apart from Manula and Mutale, defenders Hussein Kazi and David “Duchu” Kameta also did not travel with the team due to technical reasons.
Speaking with The Citizen yesterday, Simba’s information officer, Ahmed Ally, said the players are not part of the match programme as per the technical bench's decision and will join the team after their arrival from Tunisia.
“There is no reason other than technical matters. We have 22 players in the match programme,” said Ally.
He added that all 22 players are in good shape and ready to do their best in the encounter.
“All players know how crucial this match is for the team. We need a victory to continue chasing our chances of qualifying for the knockout stage of the competition. We are comfortable, as we did not face any challenges after our arrival,” said Ally.
He explained that the climate is a little bit cold, but this will not hinder them from achieving the best results.
Simba SC currently sit third in the group standings with six points from three matches, having won two and lost one.
CS Sfaxien are at the bottom of the group without a point and will be eager to avenge their 2-1 defeat in the first-leg match played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The other teams in Group A, CS Constantine of Algeria and Bravos do Maquis of Angola, also have six points each and are set to face off in Algiers on Sunday at 10pm East African time.
This creates a highly competitive scenario, as all teams strive to secure top spots in the group.
The upcoming match is expected to draw significant attention as Simba seek to assert their dominance in the group and inch closer to securing a place in the knockout phase.
