Simba reach CAF Confederation Cup semis after defeating Al Masry on penalties
What you need to know:
- The match, played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, was decided on penalties following a 2-2 aggregate score. Simba won 2-0 in the return leg to level the tie, having lost 2-0 in the first leg played in Ismailia one week ago
Dar es Salaam. One of Tanzania’s football giants, Simba SC, today, April 9, 2025, qualified for the semifinals of the CAF Confederation Cup after a thrilling 4-1 victory in a penalty shootout against Egypt’s Al Masry.
The match, played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, was decided on penalties following a 2-2 aggregate score. Simba won 2-0 in the return leg to level the tie, having lost 2-0 in the first leg played in Ismailia one week ago.
Simba’s goals in the return leg were scored by Elie Mpanzu, who netted with a powerful deflected shot in the 22nd minute, and Steven Mukwala, who made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute following a fine pass from Mohammed “Tshabalala” Hussein.
In the shootout, Simba’s penalties were successfully converted by Jean Ahoua, Steven Mukwala, Kibu Dennis, and Shomari Kapombe. Goalkeeper Moussa Camara emerged as the hero for the Msimbazi Street side by saving two crucial penalties.
Camara denied Mohammed Hussein and Mahmoud Awad Hassan Elsayed from the spot, while only Fakhreddine Ben Youssef scored for Al Masry.
Apart from securing a place in the semifinals, Simba will also pocket US$750,000 (approximately Sh1.9 billion) in prize money.
Simba will now face the winner between Zamalek of Egypt and Stellenbosch of South Africa, who played last night. The first leg of the semifinal will be played on April 20, with the return leg scheduled for April 27. Simba will host the first leg at home.
This victory also allowed Simba to exact revenge on Al Masry, who knocked them out of the same competition during the 2017/2018 season. In that edition, the first leg played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam ended in a 2-2 draw.
Simba have now become only the second Tanzanian team to qualify for the semifinals of the CAF Confederation Cup since the tournament adopted its new format in 2021.
Young Africans (Yanga) were the first, reaching the semifinals in the 2022/2023 season and going on to play in the final against USM Alger. Yanga narrowly missed the title on away goals after losing 2-1 at home and winning 1-0 in the return leg in Algeria.
Simba SC’s record in the CAF Confederation Cup
Records show that Simba have previously participated in the CAF Confederation Cup six times, with their best performance before this year coming in the 2021/2022 season, when they reached the quarterfinals after being eliminated from the CAF Champions League.
That year, Simba were knocked out on penalties (4-3) by South Africa’s Orlando Pirates following a 1-1 aggregate draw.
In 2007, Simba exited early after being eliminated in the Preliminary Round. In 2010, they progressed to the Second Round, showing slight improvement. In 2011, they advanced to the Play-off Round, marking a more competitive run.
In 2012, they once again reached the Second Round, maintaining consistency but falling short of a breakthrough.
In 2018, Simba made a notable step forward, reaching the First Round and showcasing their growing strength in African club football.
