The Tanzanian champions went down 1–0 away to Tunisia’s Espérance at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium in Radès, a result that not only compounded their poor run but also pushed them into unfamiliar territory
Dar es Salaam. Simba SC’s hopes of advancing to the knockout stage of the CAF Champions League now hang by a thread after the Msimbazi Street giants suffered a third straight Group D defeat, leaving them with no margin for error in the remaining matches.
The Tanzanian champions went down 1–0 away to Tunisia’s Espérance at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium in Radès, a result that not only compounded their poor run but also pushed them into unfamiliar territory.
It marked the first time in Simba’s history that they have lost three consecutive group-stage matches in CAF competitions, an unwanted record and their poorest showing at this stage since their debut in 2003.
The defeat leaves Simba rooted to the bottom of Group D with zero points, significantly denting their ambition of reaching the CAF Champions League quarterfinals, an achievement they have managed consistently since 2018.
That proud record now looks increasingly distant following a disastrous run of results. Espérance secured the win through Jacques Diarra’s 21st-minute strike, which proved decisive on the night.
The victory lifted the Tunisian giants to the top of Group D with five points, marking their first win of the group stage after two consecutive draws.
Earlier in the campaign, Simba opened their group with a 1–0 home loss to Petro Atletico before falling 2–1 away to Stade Malien.
The setback in Radès completed a troubling sequence of three consecutive defeats, leaving their continental campaign in serious jeopardy.
Despite enjoying 53 percent possession compared to Espérance’s 47 percent, Simba struggled to translate control into clear chances.
The hosts were far more clinical, registering four shots on target from six attempts, while Simba managed just one on target from five efforts—highlighting their ongoing attacking difficulties.
The result has further eroded confidence among Simba supporters, with many now viewing next weekend’s return fixture against Espérance at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium as a must-win encounter rather than a momentum-shifting opportunity.
Nevertheless, Simba’s qualification hopes are not mathematically over. To revive their campaign, they must win all their remaining matches at home to Espérance, a way to Petro Atletico, and at home to Stade Malien while also relying on favourable results elsewhere.
So far, Simba have scored just one goal and conceded four, underlining the scale of the challenge ahead. Failure to recover would see them fall short of the quarterfinals for only the second time in the last eight seasons (2018–2025).
Head coach Steve Barker handed starts to January signings Djibril Kassali and Nickson Kibabage, while Clatous Chama and Libasse Gueye were introduced at the start of the second half in search of inspiration. However, Simba struggled to match Espérance’s intensity and organisation throughout the contest.
The defeat also extended Barker’s winless run to three matches across all competitions, following a 1–0 Mapinduzi Cup semifinal loss to Azam FC and a 1–1 league draw against Mtibwa Sugar.
