Buoyant Simba to know Champions League rivals today
Jubilant Simba fans cheer their team during a past match at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam. PHOTO| FILE
Dar es Salaam. Mainland giants Simba will discover today which team they will face in the quarter-finals of the Caf Champions League.
The draws for the quarter-finals and semi-finals of both Champions League and Confederation Cup will be held at the Caf headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
Other teams that are through to the last eight are trophy-holders Esperance of Tunisia and record eight-time African champions Al Ahly of Egypt.
Also on the list are South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, Wydad Casablanca of Morocco, Horoya AC of Guinea, TP Mazembe of DR Congo and CS Constantine of Algeria.
“We are not afraid or scared of any team as far as our determination to excel in the Caf Champions League is concerned,” Simba coach, Patrick Aussems said yesterday.
Simba booked a place in the knockout stage with a 2-1 win against DR Congo’s AS Vita Club in their final Group D match.
Midfielder Clatous Chama scored in the final minute to snatch a quarter-finals place for the Msimbazi Reds at the National Stadium on Saturday.
Simba finished second in Group D behind Al Ahly.
Al Ahly outplayed Algeria’s JS Saoura 3-0 to top the final standings with 10 points followed by Simba (nine), Saoura (eight) and V Club (seven).
Ahly were seeded to finish first, but second seeds and former champions V Club disappointed, winning only two of six mini-league matches.
V Club, who had fired five unanswered goals past Simba in Kinshasa two months ago, were first to score in Tanzania with Francy Kasengu finding the net on 13 minutes.
