Africa-Press – Tanzania. SIMBA Head Coach Pablo Franco said he is expecting another thrilling performance from his team as they take on Red Arrows in their Confederation Cup first leg match at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam today.
After today’s match, the two sides will meet again in Zambia on December 5th in the second leg showdown that will decide who deserves a place in the event’s group stage.
As such, the country’s envoys need to utilise this home opportunity well by ensuring that they win by a big margin to simplify their work in the away return leg. In his press briefing, Franco repeatedly said they are going to do their best, focus on the match throughout while insisting that he is confident with the way all his players are working.
“They are improving a lot, they are committed and they know that this is the last chance they have to continue representing Tanzania as such; I am ex- pecting the best from them.
“I hope they will continue to do a great job like the one they did in Mwanza and for sure, we are going to do our best against them,” he said.
Adding, the Spanish trainer, who once served as a Real Madrid Assistant Coach, said that for Simba to reach its peak, it will take time as the squad is still growing and progressing.
“I think we are on the right path to keep winning matches and I hope that 30,000 fans who have been permitted to come at the stadium will render their full support to the team from the first whistle to the last one,” he said.
He further made it clear that changes in this game for his team are inevitable saying every match is different and that they have a talented squad with each player eager to showcase what he has. His skipper John Bocco said that they are mentally and physically prepared for the big game and that they are eyeing for the victory in order to step into the group stage of the contest.
“We are aware that it will be a difficult game as we are facing a good team but we have had good preparations too with our main focus to do well at our home venue,” he said.
Also, Bocco pointed out that losing to Jwaneng Galaxy at home in the Champions League was a big lesson to them and that they will play a cautious game so as not to repeat the similar shortfalls. He then urged Simba family to come at the venue in big numbers to give them the required backup.
This will be the second com- petitive match for Coach Franco at the helm of Simba after guid- ing them to a thrilling 3-1 tri- umph over Ruvu Shooting in the sixth round of the NBC Premier League.
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