Simba suffered a narrow 1–0 defeat at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium against Angola’s Atlético Petroleos de Luanda in Group D of the CAF Champions League
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s representatives in the CAF continental club championships, Simba SC, Azam FC, and Singida Black Stars, recorded disappointing results in their opening group-stage matches, leaving Young Africans (Yanga) as the only side to secure a win on the first weekend of the campaign.
Simba suffered a narrow 1–0 defeat at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium against Angola’s Atlético Petroleos de Luanda in Group D of the CAF Champions League.
Azam FC also endured a frustrating outing, losing 2–0 to Maniema Union of the Democratic Republic of Congo at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa in Group B of the CAF Confederation Cup.
Meanwhile, Singida Black Stars fell 2–0 to Algeria’s CR Belouizdad in Group C of the Confederation Cup at the Mandela Stadium in Baraki.
Out of the four Tanzanian teams in action, only Yanga lifted the nation’s spirits, securing a historic 1–0 win over AS FAR Rabat of Morocco in their CAF Champions’ League Group B encounter on Saturday at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar.
Simba vs Atlético Petroleos de Luanda
Simba started the match slowly, allowing the visitors to settle quickly and threaten early on.
Atlético Petroleos pressed aggressively from the outset, looking to capitalise on Simba’s hesitation and find an early breakthrough.
As the match progressed, Simba grew into the game and began asserting themselves.
Their best moment of the first half came in the 23rd minute, when Morice Abraham unleashed a powerful shot that struck the upright after being set up superbly by Joshua Mutale. It was a chance that could have changed the course of the match.
The hosts continued to push, and Rushine de Reuck came close in the 32nd minute following a well-timed pass from Neo Maema.
However, his attempt failed to find the target. In the second half, Elie Mpanzu had a golden opportunity in the 52nd minute but fired wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Simba’s missed chances proved costly. Atlético Petroleos found the breakthrough they had been pushing for when Bernardo Dias struck a shot that deflected off Rushine de Reuck and beat the goalkeeper, sealing the Angolan side’s slender but crucial victory.
Maniema Union vs Azam FC
Azam FC produced a spirited display in Kinshasa and created several promising scoring opportunities, yet they failed to convert any of them.
Wastefulness in the final third haunted the Tanzanian side throughout the match.
Maniema Union took the lead in the 43rd minute through Balako Panzi, who capitalized on a clever pass from Clement Pitroipa. The goal came after an Azam defensive error that gifted the home side an easy chance to pounce on.
Despite pushing forward in the second half, Azam were punished again late in the game. Chadoma Ozome doubled Maniema’s lead in the 85th minute, sealing a comfortable victory and leaving Azam with plenty to reflect on as they regroup for their next match.
