Simba coach upbeat ahead of AS Vita clash
Simba coach Patrick Aussems (second left) talks to his players during a past match at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam. The Msimbazi Reds face AS Vita of DR Congo in the Caf Champions League Group D match in Kinshasa today. PHOTO | MICHAEL MATEMANGA
What you need to know:
- Buoyant Simba trounced Algeria’s JS Saoura 3-0 in Dar es Salaam last weekend while DR Congo’s AS Vita succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Al-Ahly in Egypt
Kinshasa. Simba coach Patrick Aussems is confident of chalking up a positive result when his charges take on DR Congo’s AS Vita here today.
He says the anticipated twelfth man at the 75,000-seater Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa, DR Congo rallying behind the hosts in their Caf Champions League clash does intimidate the Msimbazi Reds.
“If you look at the team we have, they have been playing high-level football together for some time and they are used to playing in front of big crowds,” he said.
“My boys can, therefore, withstand any pressure. It will be eleven-against-eleven but there will be no pressure on us, it (pressure) will be on the home team,” he added.
Simba, who arrived here at 1.35pm on Thursday, were busy yesterday, perfecting their tactics ahead of the clash. It starts at 7pm (Tanzanian time).
The Msimbazi Street giants held their first training session for one and a half hours at the Heroes Stadium on Thursday, a few hours after arriving here.
Yesterday, they trained at the Stade des Martyrs – the venue for today’s clash.
Striker Meddie Kagere, whose brace steered Simba to a 3-0 win against JS Saoura of Algeria at the National Stadium last Saturday, had similar views.
“We picked up a good result against JS Saoura. We need to build on that tomorrow (today),” he said.
“We have what it takes to beat any team in our group and I believe you know the reasons why we are here,” the deadly forward said, smiling.
Vita, on the other hand, succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Egypt’s Al Ahly in their first Group D match in Alexandria last weekend.
Group D leaders Simba tie on three points with second-placed Al Ahly but they are ahead on goal difference. Vita sit third while Saoura are placed fourth.
Meanwhile, record eight-time continental champions Al Ahly were expected to face Algerian debutants JS Saoura in Algiers last night as Group D entered match day 2.
The Egyptian giants started their mini league campaign with a 2-0 home victory over DR Congo’s AS Vita, while Saoura were on the losing side in Dar es-Salam, going down 3-0 to in-form Simba.
