Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE much awaited War in Dar (WIDA) mission is set to be accomplished at the end of sweaty 90 minutes as Simba take on FC Platinum at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in the city today.
The game will see one side cruising into the last 16 of the CAF Champions League (CAF CL), one of the prestigious stages that each team competing in the hot contest would like to step in.
On the other hand, the loser will be heading to play in the CAF Confederation Cup as recognition for reaching this far of the CAF CL.
For Simba, they have the entire arsenal needed to gun down the Zimbabwe based outfits who head into the game with a one goal advantage they sourced in the first leg duel at the National Sports Stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Memories at the same level of the competition in 2018 will be lingering in most of Simba players and fans as they successfully ousted Nkana FC by an aggregate win of 4-3 which saw Simba penetrating into the best 16.
However, from then starting XI which propelled Simba into the group stages, they will miss only three players who are Nicolas Gyan, James Kotei and Emmanuel Okwi who played lungs out on the day for the deserved victory.
Speaking recently in the city, Simba’s Information Officer Haji Manara reiterated that there is no way their opponents will leave the country unscratched as their number priority is to progress into the group stages.
“Preparations for the important game are unfolding well and we have high hopes to do well on the day. We are thankful to CAF for accepting our request to reschedule the kickoff time from 7:00pm to 5:00pm because this will give our fans enough time to go back to their residential areas in good time after the match,” noted Manara.
He added that WIDA campaign was deliberately innovated to give players morale and fighting spirit throughout the entire 90 minutes of play and show them that there is nothing important than reaching into the last 16.
“Simba has never done well in any competition without massive support from fans because the power and capital of Simba belongs to the supporters. As such, if anybody in the stadium will sing WIDA, WIDA, WIDA during the match, Platinum will easily be defeated,” he insisted.
Furthermore, Manara disclosed that the generation of John Bocco, Aishi Manula and other players in the team has a chance to put the record of sending Simba into the CAF Champions League’s group stages twice in three seasons.
“This has never been achieved in the country before bearing in mind that legend players like Sunday Manara and others, despite doing a recommendable job in the country’s football circles, they never achieved that status, hence, the generation of Rocco and Manula have the opportunity to implement that,” he said.
