Despite losing three consecutive matches in the CAF Champions League, Simba SC have insisted they will not give up and are still determined to fight for the nine points that remain within their reach in Group D.
Speaking yesterday, just one day after Simba suffered a 1–0 defeat to Esperance de Tunis in a match played at the Olympique Hammadi Agrebi Stadium in Tunisia, the club’s Information and Communication Manager Ahmed Ally said he met head coach Steve Barker and the players immediately after the match and sensed their deep disappointment.
"We still have one golden opportunity, and that is the return leg at home on Sunday, February 1. Based on how we have played and how our players have fought, there is great hope of performing well in the final three matches. We are not giving up — the last three matches are still ours, and we still have nine points to fight for. Now we are restarting our journey of chasing these points," said Ahmed.
He explained that after the match he went into the dressing room and met with coach Barker and the players, who appeared sad but still hopeful.
"The players told me they have not bowed their heads. They still believe they can do well in the group, although it will be difficult because they will also need to rely on results from other matches. But they said they are ready to take that same difficult path to reach their destination. They told me to tell members and fans that Simba is not dead — the club is only wounded," said the club’s media manager.
Simba have three matches remaining: against Esperance on February 1 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam; away to Petro de Luanda in Angola on February 6; and finally at home against Stade Malien on February 13 in Dar es Salaam.
The team has lost all three of its group matches so far and currently sits bottom of Group D, while Esperance lead the group with five points. Petro de Luanda and Stade Malien, who were scheduled to play yesterday, each have four points.
