Author: ELKANA KUHENGA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: IT is like facing a wounded buffalo at the Benjamin Mkapa stadium in Dar es Salaam when Tanzanian envoys Simba host Plateau United of Nigeria in the return leg of CAF Champions League today.
Plateau United are coming to Tanzania a bruised side after a painful loss at home in Jos City a week ago, hence it will be a tough duel for Simba.
Simba will step in their home stadium boldly with an advantage of 1-0 victory they pocketed on the first leg game. It was the Premier League MVP Clatous Chama who stamped Simba’s away victory at New Jos Stadium last Sunday.
Simba just need a draw to advance to the upper round and they are likely to face the aggregate winner of the match between Costa do Sol of Mozambique or FC Platinum of Zimbabwe.
Should Simba manage to win there again they will step in the group stage. Platinum are ahead of the race after beating Costa do Sol 2-1 in the first encounter last Saturday.
Simba’s head coach, Sven Vandenbroeck said upon the team’s return that the slim fight to win doesn’t guarantee them to advance.
“We have not yet finished the job, we need to work harder in the return leg match,” said the coach.
To the relief of the Tanzanian envoys, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has allowed Simba to allow spectators to fill 50 per cent of the arena as requested by Tanzania Football Federation (TFF).
This brings a relief to the Tanzanian envoys in the CAF Champions League Simba and Namungo,who are playing in the CAF Confederation Cup.
Like Simba, Namungo are facing Al Rabita in their second leg game with an advantage of 3-0 victory they stamped in the first leg at Azam Complex last Saturday.
Namungo’s hefty victory was banked with the efforts of Stephen Sey who scored a brace in the 20th and 39th minute; and Shiza Kichuya at 64thminute.
In Zanzibar, KVZ Sports Club will look forward to revenge on Alamal SC Atbara at Amani Stadium following the 1-0 defeat for the first leg.
Moreover, Simba’s fans will expect to witness improvement this season, following last year’s unimpressive performance after they were knocked out in the preliminary round by UD Songo.
In response to the failure, the club sucked coach Patrick Aussems who led Simba to the Quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League in the 2018/19 season.
Simba target has been to go further than the semi- final stage to beat their 1974 record when they reached that stage before losing to GhazI El Mahalla through penalty shots.
