Simba SC is making deep calculations on how to navigate through their six CAF Champions League group stage matches this season, aiming to reach the quarter-finals once again. However, their impressive form—having reached last season’s CAF Confederation Cup final—has already caught the attention of an Arab defender, who admitted that facing the Tanzanian giants won’t be an easy task.
Simba, who lost the CAF Confederation Cup final to RS Berkane of Morocco, have been drawn into Group D of this season’s Champions League, alongside Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia), Petro de Luanda (Angola), and Stade Malien (Mali).
The Msimbazi Reds will kick off their campaign at home against Petro de Luanda, before traveling to face Stade Malien and later Esperance. Interestingly, Simba will conclude the group stage with home matches—something that gives them a potential advantage.
Esperance defender Ibrahima Keita told Mwanaspoti that while the group is neither too easy nor too difficult, Simba carries the most pressure and stands out as the most challenging rival in the pool.
Keita, a Mauritanian international with Malian roots, noted that aside from Petro de Luanda, Simba are the toughest team to face due to their impressive home record, which forces opponents to approach matches against them cautiously.
He emphasized that Esperance must capitalize on home advantage before traveling to face Simba away. “Simba have a very strong record at home,” Keita said, warning that failure to win the first two away games—against Petro and then Simba—could complicate their qualification chances.
According to the fixture schedule, Simba and Esperance will first clash on January 23, 2026, in Tunisia, before the return leg at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on January 30, 2026.
“The fixture is fair—you can’t say it’s too easy or too difficult. We have a strong squad, and the teams in our group vary in quality based on their records,” said Keita.
“I know Stade Malien, but facing teams like Petro and Simba won’t be easy, especially Simba. Looking at their home record, we must be very well-prepared if we want to win there.”
“I’ve been to Tanzania several times, mostly facing Yanga when I was with TP Mazembe—it was tough, but everyone says Simba are even harder to beat at home,” he added.
“Luckily, we’ll start at home—it will be hard for them to win here, but when we go to Tanzania, we’ll need to be extra cautious. We start by traveling to Angola first, so we’ll prepare well from there,” Keita told Mwanaspoti.
Last season, in the CAF Confederation Cup, Simba played seven home matches, winning six and drawing only one—the final against Berkane. Across all 14 matches from the second round to the final, Simba recorded seven wins, four draws, and three defeats—all of which came away from home.
