Simba face must-win tie against Mimosas in CAF Champions League tie

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s envoys in the 2023-24 CAF Champions League, Simba SC, today face a must-win match against Asec Mimosas of Ivory Coast.

The group B encounter is scheduled to kick off at 10pm East African time at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Simba head coach Abdelhak Benchikha said they are expecting to face a stiff challenge from Asec Mimosas, who are among the formidable teams in the competition.

Benchikha expressed optimism, stating, “It is going to be a tough game, but we are targeting victory.” He said his team is ready to compete for the maximum three points, insisting that he trusts his committed players.

Arithmetically, Simba need a victory or a draw against already qualified Asec Mimosas, who are at the top of the group table with 10 points while Simba are second with five points.

Jwaneng Galaxy FC are third with four points, while Wydad Athletic Club are at the bottom with three points.

Simba, Jwaneng and Wydad have a chance to qualify for the knockout stage and join the Ivorians.

“We need to do our best in the encounter against Asec Mimosas. We have trained well, and my players are in high spirit,” he said.

Since the match is crucial, he stressed that they are going to play with determination in order to secure victory over their rivals, who will also be targeting to win at their home venue.

Asec head coach Julien Chevalier expressed his readiness for the game, targeting to come out with a positive result and get the assurance of finishing at the top in group B.

This will be the fourth encounter between Simba and Asec Mimosas to meet in their history. The Tanzanian side secured a 3-1 victory over Asec Mimosas on February 13, 2022, in the CAF Confederation Cup.

However, Asec managed to revenge on March 20, 2022, with a convincing 3-0 victory in the same competition. In the previous match held at the Benjamin Mkapa in Dar es Salaam, the two teams recorded a 2-2 draw.