AfricaPress-Tanzania: SIMBA are optimistic to overcome AS Vita threat as the two teams meet in their first fixture of the CAF Champions League’s group stage match at Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo today.
The country’s representatives in the prestigious club football showpiece on the continent landed safely in Kinshasa on Wednesday ready to do final touches before taking on the hosts.
Both teams have since restructured their respective squads after signing new players and let go some of them who competed at the same stage when they met in the same competition in 2019.
For instance, AS Vita will miss the services of Tuisila Kisinda and Mukoko Tonombe among others who were part of their squad which defeated Simba 5-0 in the CAF Champions League’s group stages two years ago.
Likewise, Simba will miss James Kotei, Emmanuel Okwi and Zana Coulibaly who were in the starting lineup before conceding the heavy defeat, as such, it will be a completely new game for both giants.
Speaking on Thursday all the way from the battlefield, Simba Information Officer Haji Manara said all players are in good shape and highly motivated looking forward to their first away win campaign.
“The atmosphere in the camp is very promising and focus of players is on the upcoming match and we had a good reception after landing here. “So far, everything is fine just waiting for the encounter and I personally believe that we will defeat them in order to positively begin our journey of reaching into the semifinals of the hot contest,” he said.
In today’s match, Simba will miss the services of skipper John Bocco who did not travel with the team due to injury which has kept him out of action for an extended period of time. Simba are packed in group A together with Al Merreikh (Sudan), Al Ahly (Egypt) and AS Vita (DR Congo) and they have made a history of becoming the first team in the country to step into the group stages of champions league twice in three consecutive seasons.
The full brigade of Simba set to ambush AS Vita today has the following players: Aishi Manula, Beno Kakolanya, Ally Juma, Shomari Kapombe, Joash Onyango, Pascal Wawa, Ibrahim Ame, Erasto Nyoni and Peter Muduhwa. Others are Kennedy Juma, Gadiel Michael, Mohamed Hussein, Tadeo Lwanga, Jonas Mkude, Larry Bwalya, Said Ndemla, Mzamiru Yassin, Louis Miquissone, Hassan Dilunga, Ibrahim Ajibu and Clatous Chama.
Also in the list are Bernard Morrison, Francis Kahata, Meddie Kagere, Miraji Athumani, Chris Mugalu and Junior Lokosa.
