Dar giants target Vipers, Bamako
SIMBA and Young Africans have intensified drills ahead of their CAF Interclub matches against Vipers and Real De Bamako respectively both duels to be staged at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The country’s envoys are aware that bagging maximum points is crucial in their quest to go beyond the group stage of the CAF Champions League and the Confederation Cup respectively which is their number one priority.
It all begins tomorrow when Simba host Vipers at the 60,000-capacity venue in a crucial group C meeting as the home team target to taste a successive victory in order to be better placed on the table.
The Reds claimed a vital 1-0 away win when the duo met in Kampala, Uganda last Saturday courtesy of center-back Henock Inonga who made the difference on the day to hand his team their first win of the campaign in three matches.
Inonga is therefore on record of being the only Simba player so far to net a goal in the progressing champions league group stage mission hence the team’s current top scorer.
“Our focus is entirely on how best to clear Vipers because this is a very important game for us as it will define our destiny in the competition and we need nothing less than three points.
“As you know, we are yet to register home victory as such, this is the best moment for our fans to cherish the first win at our territory by picking essential points,” said Simba’s Media and Communication Manager Ahmed Ally.
Likewise, on Wednesday, Yanga take on De Bamako from Mali in a group D confederation cup match at the same venue in the city with heads up to do well.
A triumph to the Jangwani street team drives them to 7 points which brings them closer to the quarterfinals qualification as they are going to have two games in hand for possible six points hanging in the air.
The two teams played out to a 1-1 draw in their previous match in Mali as the hosting side equalised late to salvage one point from the home turf after Fiston Mayele had put the visitors on the front seat midway in the second half.
“The only way to lead us to the last eight of the confederation cup is by winning all our remaining two home matches against Real Bamako and US Monastir.
“As such, we are going to make sure that on Wednesday, we pocket maximum points from the Mali-based club and thereafter, begin hunting for the Tunisian side,” said Yanga’s Media and Communication Manager Ally Kamwe.
Nasreddine Nabi’s men are eyeing to maintain their 100 per cent home record in the group stage as they successfully hammered TP Mazembe 3-1 in their first home encounter.
