Simba battle for crucial away points in Tunis

DAR ES SALAAM: SIMBA’S Head Coach, Fadlu Davids, has expressed confidence in his team’s current form ahead of their crucial CAF Confederation Cup Group A clash against CS Sfaxien at the Olympique Hammadi Agrebi Stadium in Tunis, Tunisia, today.

In a pre-match interview, Fadlu urged his players to maintain their focus and stay sharp.

“We know this will be a very tough game, because our opponents are a strong side, even though they haven’t earned any point so far. They play well and anything can happen in this match.

“Matches like these are decided by small margins. We need to stay focused, stick to our game plan and capitalise on any opportunities that come our way.

It’s not just about talent; it’s about determination and mental strength,” he noted. Coach Davids added that the group is still open, and no team has yet secured qualification to the quarterfinals.

He emphasised that all teams have a chance to qualify and that they will face CS Sfaxien with caution, as the match is as important to Simba as it is to CS Sfaxien.

“We respect CS Sfaxien as a formidable team, but we are equally confident in our abilities. This is a crucial match and the players understand the importance of giving their best on the pitch,” he mentioned.

Initially, the match was scheduled to take place at the Taieb Mhiri Stadium in Sfax, located 270 kilometres from Tunis.

However, it was moved to the Olympique Hammadi Agrebi Stadium in the capital, reducing Simba’s travel burden. Simba enter the match with six points, tied with Constantine and Bravos do Maquis in Group A. A win against Sfaxien would propel Simba to nine points, strengthening their chances of reaching the quarter-finals.

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CS Sfaxien, yet to secure a point, are desperate for a turnaround to remain in contention. Adding to the intensity, today’s match will be played behind closed doors due to a two-match ban imposed on Sfaxien by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), resulting from crowd disturbances during their previous home games.

The next three weeks are critical for Simba as they wrap up their groupstage campaign.

Following today’s match in Tunisia, the team will travel to Angola on January 12 to face Bravos do Maquis, before returning home to host CS Constantine on January 19 in their final group-stage fixture.