Simba urged to be focused

Dar es Salaam. Simba Sports Club players have been urged to be focused and fight hard against Al Ahly in the African Champions’ League Group Stage encounter to be held tomorrow at Borg el Arab Stadium in Alexandria.

The match will be officiated by Senegalese referees namely, Maguette Ndiaye who will be at the center while Djibril Camara and El Hadji Samba will be assistants.

The call was made by former team players who featured with the club on both and local and international matches during their golden days.

Former team defender Boniface Pawasa said although the players are facing the challenge of playing away, concentration and tactical discipline would be the weapon that would enable them to record good results in the encounter.

Pawasa who featured in the 2003 encounter against Zamalek and eliminated the club which was defending champions, said to play against Al Ahly in an away match requires high level of concentration as well as tactical discipline in order to avoid defeat. He said Al Ahly is tough team comprising well-trained players and that’s why they have dominated African football for a long time now. “There so many sabotage acts that could make the players lose their concentration for the encounter. They need to show they are experienced, and football is a game of 11 players against 11 players. “Fans sometimes discourage players, but they need to ignore them and play as per coaching teachings,” said Pawasa. On his part, Juma Kaseja said players need to show that they are mature and not be afraid of Al Ahly fans.

“Good enough, Simba comprises leaders who were present when we played against Zamalek in 2003, they have to share experiences and what we did before and during the match. What is needed is to play football and not to be discouraged by fans ,” said Kaseja.

The team’s former defender, Lubigisa Lubigisa, who also featured in the encounter, said players have to show their commitment in the encounter, and they can post the best results.

“We faced lots of challenges while in Cairo, but we managed to show our football skills and eliminate the -then, defending champions of the tournament,” said Lubigisa.