Simba put Horoya duel under magnifier

SIMBA have maintained that the only way to step into CAF Champions League quarterfinals is to beat Horoya at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam this Saturday.

The two teams meet in the fifth round of CAF Champions’ League group C match of the campaign in a decisive encounter set to define both teams’ destiny in the competition.

As it stands, Simba occupy second place with 6 points while Horoya sit on the third slot with 4 points, hence a win on the day is vital to both sides.

It is going to be Simba’s last home fixture before heading to Morocco to face group leaders Raja Casablanca who cherish 12 points after excelling in all their four games and have already qualified for the best 8 stage.

“A game against Horoya is the one which will take us to the quarterfinals if we emerge winners as such, we have no other option other than to register a victory,” said the club’s Media and Communication Manager Ahmed Ally in a press conference in the city yesterday.

Adding, he said the Saturday’s scenario resembles that of 2018-19 Champions League season when Simba defeated AS Vita 2-1 to enter the quarters.

“We are facing the same setup of our 2018-19 campaign whereby we had to win in order to enter in the best eight stage and two goals from Clatous Chama and Mohamed Hussein took us to the quarterfinals,” Ally said.

He continued saying basing on this, they fully focus on Horoya match insisting that it will be an embarrassing experience to fail to go beyond the group stage from their home territory.

“As a club, our target is always to cruise to the quarterfinals hence we request more Simba fans to descend at the venue in big numbers on the day to back up their team as we eye to go further,” he said.

He also revealed that the match will be officiated by referees from Egypt and that Horoya are expected to land in the country on March 16th with a contingent of 44 people.

According to him, until now, all members of the squad are in good health excluding Augustine Okrah who is still undergoing treatment after injuring his finger during a friendly match with Al Hilal.

However, ahead of the match, Simba stamped a big 3-0 win against Mtibwa Sugar in the Premier League clash which helped the team to have winning mentality before facing the Guinean side.

A hat-trick by Jean Baleke sealed a deserved away maximum points to consolidate their second place on the table with six games to go before wrapping up the season.