Simba stroll into first round of CAF Champions League

Simba SC’s Augustine Okrah (centre) vies for the ball against Nyasa Big Bullets players during yesterday’s CAF Champions League match at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam. Simba won 2-0. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Simba will now meet either Zambian champions Red Arrows or Angola’s Primero de Agosto, who were scheduled to face off in a preliminary round, second leg match in Luanda

Dar es Salaam. Simba SC yesterday beat Malawi’s Nyasa Big Bullets 2-0 in Dar es Salaam to reach the first round of the CAF Champions League.

Zambian striker Moses scored both goals in the preliminary round, second leg match at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium to guide Simba to a comfortable 4-0 aggregate victory. Simba won the first leg match 2-0 in Lilongwe earlier in the month.

Simba broke the deadlock in the 29th minute before Phiri struck again in the 51st minute after he was put through by Clatous Chama and Augustine Okrah, respectively.

Simba will now meet either Zambian champions Red Arrows or Angola’s Primero de Agosto, who were scheduled to face off in a preliminary round, second leg match in Luanda last evening. Primero de Agosto won the first leg in Zambia 1-0.

Simba now join bitter rivals Young Africans (Yanga) in the first round of Africa’s premier club competition.

Yanga crushed South Sudan’s Zalan FC 5-0 in Dar es Salaam on Saturday to cruise into the next round 9-0 on aggregate. Yanga won the first leg, also played in Dar es Salaam, 4-0.

Yanga will now face either St George of Ethiopia or Sudan’s Al Hilal, who were scheduled to clash last evening in Khartoum. St George won the first leg in Addis Ababa 2-1.

Zanzibar champions KMKM have been eliminated by Libya’s Al Ahly Tripoli 6-0 on aggregate.

Another Zanzibari side, Kipanga FC, have qualified for the second round of the CAF Confederation Cup after defeating South Sudan’s Al Hilal 3-2 on aggregate. Kipanga FC will now face Tunisia’s Club Africain.

Meanwhile, Al Hilal of Sudan have eliminated Geita Gold FC from the CAF Confederation Cup. The aggregate score was 2-2, but Al Hilal went through on the away goals rule. Geita Gold FC lost 1-0 in Khartoum before winning 2-1 in Dar es Salaam.

The CAF schedule shows that second round matches will be played between October 7 and 9 and the second round games are set from October 14 to 16.