‘Simba-Al Hilal game vital drill’

THE last build up match between Simba and Al Hilal served well both teams as a good test ahead of their CAF Champions League’s group stage assignments.

Simba’s Head Coach Roberto Oliviera and Al Hilal’s Florent Ibenge said the encounter was very beneficial to their teams ahead of their group stage assignments.

In post-match interview, Oliviera said playing against Al Hilal was very beneficial as it has helped him to know how to approach their group stage matches.

The same comments came from Ibenge who said their match gave his players a perfect drill ahead of a match against Mamelodi Sundowns.

Both teams played a cautious game, but with maturity in professionalism as seen    in all 90 minutes of the game.

Al Hilal were the first to score and Simba levelled the score late in the second half.

Simba responded late to hold Al Hilal to a 1-1 draw in a highly entertaining international friendly match at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

Substitute Habib Kyombo rescued  Simba from loss after netting an equaliser in the 81st minute after utilising well defensive errors committed by Al Hilal defenders who failed to clear the ball inside their territory.

The visitors seized the lead in the 6th minute via Makabi Glody who netted from a close range beating Simba’s second choice goalkeeper Beno Kakolanya.

Both sides are gearing up for their first away group stage matches of CAF Champions League (CAF CL) pegged on February 11th with each side eyeing to stamp success.

Simba travel to Guinea to play Horoya FC on February 11th while Al Hilal have a head-scratching fixture against South Africa giants Mamelodi Sundowns on the same day.

It was a third friendly encounter for Al Hilal in the country after playing Namungo in their first game which elapsed 1-1 before stamping a 1-0 success against Azam with both matches unfolding at Azam Complex.

Their Head Coach Florent Ibenge already said the three games will help him a lot to understand better his side before marching to the battlefield.

They are packed in group B alongside Al Ahly (Egypt), Cotton Sport (Cameroon) and Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa).

For Simba, it was also a good weighing platform for their team ahead of the start of CAF CL group stage assignments as they felt the glimpse of an international match.

Their coach Roberto Oliviera has on several occasions insisted that his target is to help Simba do well in the champions league by winning the silverware.

As such, interfacing Al Hilal without doubt added something crucial to his squad and facilitated the fighting spirit among his charges who have the reputation of doing well in international duties.

Packed in group C, Simba will have to get the better of Raja Casablanca (Morocco), Horoya FC (Guinea) and Vipers FC (Uganda) in order to go above the group stage line.