IN
A MOVE to intensify their preparations for the upcoming CAF
Champions League quarter-final clash against Egyptian giants Al Ahly, Simba
Sports Club departed Dar es Salaam for Zanzibar on Tuesday, March 18th,
2024.
The team, led by Head
Coach Abdelhak Benchikha, will be setting up camp on the archipelago for a
focused training session. Benchikha believes that the serene environment of
Zanzibar will provide the necessary stability and focus for his players to hone
their skills and develop a winning strategy.
Simba’s ambition for the
prestigious tournament is evident. Simba’s Information and Communication
Manager, Ahmed Ally, expressed the club’s unwavering determination to reach the
coveted semi-final stage. Ally emphasized the team’s impressive track record in
African football, highlighting their belief that eliminating Al Ahly from the
competition is a very real possibility.
Ahmed Ally outlined their
team’s plans following the NBC Premier League match against Mashujaa Fc
“Immediately after our game, our players received a three-day break, with some
joining their national teams for upcoming fixtures. Now, with about nine days
left until our next match, we’ve commenced a specialized training program at
our facility. Our main objective in this tournament is to secure a spot in the
semi-finals.”
“In order to achieve this
goal, thorough preparations are essential. That’s why we’ve decided to head
to Zanzibar. There, we’ll have the ideal environment to train and prepare
for the upcoming game against Al Ahly. While in Zanzibar, we also hope to
arrange a friendly match to further fine-tune our tactics and readiness for the
crucial fixture.”
The first leg of the
quarter-final match will be held on Friday, March 29th, 2024, at
Benjamini Mkapa Stadium, Dar Es Salaam. Simba fans are eagerly anticipating the
encounter, and with their team’s dedication and the Zanzibar training camp,
they hope to see Simba secure a strong advantage going into the second leg.
This will be the first
time for the duo to interface in the knockout phase of the CAF Champions League
and hence it is expected to be a thrilling game.
Al Ahly has faced
repeated disappointment at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium against Simba sports Club
across all competitions, failing to secure a victory in any encounter.
The trend began on
February 12th, 2019, when Simba hosted Al Ahly in a Champions League
Group D match. Despite a hard-fought battle, Al Ahly succumbed to a 1-0 defeat,
courtesy of Meddie Kagere’s decisive goal in the 65th minute.
Throughout the match,
Simba displayed superior offensive prowess, registering five shots on target
compared to Al Ahly’s solitary attempt on goal.
The narrative repeated
itself on February 23rd, 2021, as Simba Sc once again welcomed
Al Ahly to Benjamin Mkapa Stadium for another high-stakes CAF Champions League
encounter. In a mirror image of their previous clash, Al Ahly fell short,
suffering a 1-0 loss with Luis Miquissone sealing the victory for Simba with a
goal in the 31st minute. Despite Al Ahly’s efforts, Simba
maintained control, recording four shots on target while limiting their
opponents to just one.
The sequence continued
into their third appearance in the city on October 20th of the
preceding year. In the inaugural match of the Africa Football League (AFL),
Simba and Al Ahly battled to a 2-2 draw, with goals from Kibu Denis and Sadio
Kanoute contributing to the deadlock, further solidifying Simba’s dominance
over Al Ahly at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.