AfricaPress-Tanzania: Simba Sports Club’s head coach, Didier Gomes believes that their forthcoming CAF Champions League’s date with Congolese AS Vita is unpredictable but insisted that winning at home is their first priority.
Simba have said that they have tough CAF Championship league assignments, but that means that the fight is on for their best place in the continental showpiece.
The country’s flag bearers have closed in on quarterfinals of the continental club tournament, but need a point to confirm their place in the last eight.
Simba will play Congolese AS Vita on April 3 at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam and will have their final group stage’s away match in Egypt against hosts, African champions Al-Ahly on April 9.
Simba had a brave performance in their previous assignment after they thrashed Sudanese Al-Merrikh 3-0 in Dar es Salaam in a fornight. First half goals from Luis Miquissone and skipper Mohammed Hussein coupled with a second half strike from Chris Mugalu handed the home side three vital points and a ninth consecutive unbeaten match on home soil in the continental competition.
And this encourages the Frenchman that his boys are too keen to extend their winning spree and most importantly to move on in a crucial stage.
“We need to secure home points and comfortably move on , short of which, it will be difficult for us to achieve our dream,” he was quoted as saying. “ I have told my players that we ought to win against AS Vita for our assurance to the next level of the competition,” he said.
Simba, who will retain their key players from Taifa Stars after concluding their key yesterday’s AFCON Qualifiers’ date with Libya ahead of their weekend’s CAF assignment.
Simba are on top of Group A with 10 points, three ahead of second placed Al Ahly who also beat AS Vita 3-0 in their previous assignment. AS Vita have also bagged up four points as Al-Merrikh are tail ender with a single point. However, Simba will probably face a tough challenge for the victory seeking AS Vita, who also need to win to be among serious contenders for the quarterfinal place.
Should they win, they will earn seven points with one match on their hand for their possibility to bag 10 points if they win them all. AS Vita’s head coach, Jean-Florent Ikwange Ibenge said that they face a ‘ must win’ situation for them to avoid packing up their bags.
“We actually need to win all of our two remaining matches to be a 100 per cent secure,”
“But our sailing will also depend on results of other group-mates,” he said.
The 21-time Tanzania Mainland League champions are the only team in Group A yet to concede a goal and will be hoping to extend their record when they host the Black Dolphins on Saturday, April 3.
