Simba face do-or-die CAF rematch against Al Masry

Dar es Salaam. One of the football giants in the country, Simba SC, faces a challenging task today as they aim to eliminate Al Masry in the return leg of the CAF Confederation Cup at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. The match kicks off at 4pm.

Simba needs at least a 3-0 victory to overturn the 2-0 defeat they suffered in the first leg held in Ismailia, Egypt, one week ago.

If Simba win 2-0, the match will go into an extra 30 minutes. Should the result remain the same after extra time, a penalty shootout will be used to determine the winner.

The match will be officiated by Benin’s referee Djindo Louis Houngnandande. It is a ‘day of judgment’ for Simba, as Al Masry only need a draw to qualify for the semifinals of the competition.

The winner between Simba and Al Masry will face the victor of another quarterfinal clash featuring South African side Stellenbosch, who also play today at 7pm East Africa Time in Cairo, Egypt.

Simba players must give their best performance to overcome Al Masry, a team with an impressive record.

Statistics show that Al Masry lost only one match in the group stage, a narrow 1-0 defeat to fellow Egyptian side Zamalek. In the other matches, they drew 1-1 with both Nigeria’s Enyimba FC and Mozambican giants Black Bulls.

 Simba’s head coach, Fadlu Davids, said his team is fully prepared and targeting a positive result in today’s crucial match.

“All players are in good form and ready to give their best,” said Fadlu. “We understand that it won’t be an easy match. Al Masry has quality players and they also aim for a good result.”

He stressed that Simba has corrected the mistakes from the first leg and worked on sharpening their attacking force with the aim of winning convincingly.

“We have to be very cautious because we are facing a strong team with players who share the same mission and ambition,” he added.

Fadlu also warned his players to stay alert throughout the game, as Al Masry are known for their dangerous counter-attacks.

“It will not be an easy match. We must stretch our muscles and stay focused throughout the game. I also urge our fans to come in large numbers and support the team. This is a decisive match for us,” he said.

Morale boost

Reports indicate that Simba players stand to receive a total of Sh500 million if they manage to eliminate Al Masry from the competition. The bonus has been pledged by the team’s management, under the leadership of the Board of Directors Chairman, Mohammed Dewji, popularly known as Mo Dewji.