AfricaPress-Tanzania: IT IS a silent war; That’s what you can say after the Confederation of African Football (Caf) blocked a Champions League match between Simba and Al Merreikh of Sudan to be played without fans at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam, next Tuesday.
Caf recently announced that all the Confederations Cup and Champions League games will be played without fans.
After the statement, Simba’s leadership appeared before the press and apologized to the fans because it was the decision of the CAF who are the governing body of African football and said Simba is used to playing without fans abroad but here in the country has never played without fans.
Speaking yesterday the head of the club’s Information and Communication Department, Haji Manara said he knows how difficult it is to play without fans but they have no way they should approve.
“We ask our fans not to feel humiliated, we know there are those who have prepared from the regions to come and watch the next match but it is Caf’s instructions,” he said.
He said not playing without the fans played away in previous games and got results so they believe even at home where they used to the fans will fight.
Manara said when the club turns 85 he does not remember if they used to play without fans at home so, after the next game they will follow up with Caf to see how to get the fans back.
He also said in the game they are going to kill quietly and have the ability to cut off their enemy and win.
“It will be a silent war as Simba is hunting. “Our players are used to playing in front of the fans and they are used to playing without the fans, I believe they have enough experience to play in such a situation,” he said.
He added that they are planning to get three points to secure a place in the qualifiers as they will need only one point in the remaining two games against Al Ahly and AS Vita.
He said their goal is to reach the semi-finals so that the statement made by President John Magufuli in 2018 to take the African Cup of Nations come true
