AfricaPress-Tanzania: SIMBA in collaboration with the Ministry for Natural Resources and Tourism today unveiled new kit with slogan ‘Visit Tanzania’ across the chest to be used during the CAF Champions League games.
The slogan ‘Visit Tanzania’ has been accompanied with a sketch of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in the continent and the move has been highly appreciated by many people.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in Dodoma, the club’s Chief Executive Officer Barbara Gonzalez said they have opted to seize the opportunity of playing in the group stages of the champions league to advertise the country.
“We are going to DR Congo on Tuesday, then we will go to Sudan in March and Egypt in April plus three matches we will host at home. As such, we have decided to take the privilege of flying high the national colours on our shoulders,” she said.
She also disclosed that the slogan of ‘Visit Tanzania’ will also be seen on face masks to be worn by players and leaders of the club as well as on their travelling luggage.
On his part, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Damas Ndumbaro hailed the management of Simba to come up with such a creative idea of which he said is the first of its kind to happen in the country.
“They came at our offices alone without any invitation to request to use the ‘Visit Tanzania’ logo throughout their champions league matches free of charge. What they have done is something very important since it will help to increase the number of tourists. “As government, we have wholeheartedly welcomed this gesture and I have now believed that Simba is the next level,” he said.
Moreover, the minister narrated that the slogan has been deliberately written in English because they target foreigners and seized the chance to officially declare Simba as the country’s ambassador of tourism.
Meanwhile Simba coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa said he was satisfied with the 2-1 victory his team sealed against Dodoma FC saying their target was to bag three points.
The defending champions beat Dodoma Jiji 2-1 at Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma on Thursday to trim their gap with leaders Young Africans to 6 points with two games in hand.
“We are very satisfied because we have done a good job today (Thursday) against a good team with quality individual players. We dominated the game and had some great moments to score more goals but, could not utilise well the opportunities,” he said.
He added that before the encounter, they knew that things will be complicated due to the quality of their opponents and the nature of the pitch but, gaining necessary three points was their objective.
His counterpart for Dodoma Jiji Mbwana Makata conceded the defeat while insisting that he had only one week to prepare a game plan for the Simba match.
“In the first half, we managed to contain them but in the second half, our tempo was low thereby attracting more pressure from them which in the end, they punished us by scoring the winning goal.”
The talking point after the sweaty match was the winning goal for Simba netted by Bernard Morrison who started the game before he was replaced by Ibrahim Ajibu late into the clash.
He showcased good football on the day despite being sidelined in most league matches played in the first round of the league under then Head Coach Sven Vandenbroeck.
However, Simba’s duel against Azam will be used as a preparation match for their CAF Champions League’s group stage battle against AS Vita to be played of Congo on Friday next week.
