Simba SC Head of Information and Communications, Ahmed Ally, says the 6-1 victory over Mighty Wanderers meant much more than simply securing a place in the next round of the CAF Champions League.
Simba advanced to the second round after beating Mighty Wanderers 7-1 on aggregate. The Reds of Msimbazi had started their campaign with a 1-0 away victory in Malawi before producing a dominant display in the return leg.
Speaking after the match at Uhuru Stadium, Ahmed said Simba were determined to use the home fixture to showcase their quality and send a warning to other teams competing in the tournament.
“We wanted to send a message to Africa,” Ahmed said, explaining why the team pushed for a big-margin victory despite already having an advantage from the first leg.
Simba Understood the Home-Leg Equation
Ahmed said playing away comes with different challenges and calculations compared with a home fixture. Because of that, there had been suggestions that Mighty Wanderers could cause problems for Simba when they arrived in Dar es Salaam.
Instead, Simba made good use of their opportunities and secured a convincing victory that has boosted the squad’s confidence heading into the next stage.
However, Ahmed stressed that supporters should not expect Simba to win every CAF Champions League match by a wide margin.
He said the level of competition is expected to increase as the tournament progresses. Therefore, the main objective will be to ensure Simba qualify, whether that comes through a narrow victory or a positive result away from home.
Gueye Shows Mighty Wanderers What They Missed
Ahmed also spoke about forward Libasse Gueye, who scored twice in Simba’s victory.
"Mighty Wanderers did not assess Gueye at the level they should have, as they appeared to focus more of their attention on some of Simba’s other stars. Gueye used that opportunity to show his quality, contributing directly to Simba’s emphatic victory," he said.
Ahmed also mentioned Clatous Chama while stressing that Simba are continuing to build a squad with players capable of competing at the highest level in Africa.
