Dar es Salaam. Two semi-final debutants, Simba SC of Tanzania and South Africa’s Stellenbosch FC, have written a new chapter in the CAF Confederation Cup history after qualifying for the last four of the competition for the first time.
Simba booked their place in the semi-finals after edging out Al Masry of Egypt 4-1 on penalties, following a 2-2 aggregate draw.
On the other hand, Stellenbosch pulled off a massive upset by eliminating defending champions Zamalek with a 1-0 win, courtesy of a goal from Sihle Nduli.
Since the inception of the CAF Confederation Cup in 2004, this marks the first time either of these two clubs have reached the semi-final stage guaranteeing at least one debutant finalist.
Given their pedigree in African football, Simba are seen by many as favourites to advance to the final.
Stellenbosch, however, will be out to continue their fairy tale run in their maiden appearance in continental football.
The other semi-final clash features Moroccan giants RS Berkane against Algerian side CS Constantine.
Who are Stellenbosch?
Stellenbosch FC hails from the town of the same name in South Africa.
The club was founded on August 3, 2016, making this their ninth year in existence.
Despite their relative youth, they’ve already etched their name into the history books with this CAF run.
This season marks their sixth in South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL).
Their best finish came last season when they placed third, having previously finished sixth in 2022/2023 and fourth in 2021/2022.
Their lowest finish was 14th during the 2020/2021 season, while their debut season in 2019/2020 saw them finish 10th.
Five foreign stars
Stellenbosch’s 30-man squad includes only five foreign players— defenders Brian Onyango (Kenya), Kazie Godswill (Nigeria), Olivier Touré (Ivory Coast), and midfielder Ibraheem Jabaar (Nigeria).
Their squad has an average age of 26.1 years, with only four players regularly featuring for their national teams.
By contrast, Simba boasts 12 foreign players and has at least 11 players who consistently earn national team call-ups.
A squad worth Sh33 billion
Economically, Stellenbosch is well-structured.
According to Transfermarkt, their entire squad is valued at €11.4 million (approx. Sh33.5 billion).
Simba’s squad, meanwhile, is valued at €2.2 million (approx. Sh6.4 billion), showing a significant gap in financial power between the two clubs.
Stellenbosch’s CAF journey
Stellenbosch started their CAF journey from the preliminary round, unlike Simba who entered at the second round.
The South African outfit thrashed Nsingizini Hotspurs of Eswatini 8-0 on aggregate before dispatching AS Vita Club of DR Congo 3-1.
In the group stage, Stellenbosch finished second in Group B behind RS Berkane, collecting nine points from three wins and three losses in six matches.
Across their 12 matches in this year’s competition, they’ve scored 18 goals and conceded 11.
They are coached by 57-year-old South African tactician Steve Barker, who has been at the helm since July 1, 2017.
What does Simba say?
Simba head coach Fadlu Davids remains cautious about the semi-final clash.
“We respect Stellenbosch. They’re a disciplined side, full of pace and hungry young players. We’ll need to raise our preparation levels,” Davids said.
Former Simba defender Abdi Banda, who spent over five years playing in South Africa with Baroka FC and Highlands Park before returning to Dodoma Jiji, shared insights on Stellenbosch:
“They’re highly disciplined, organised, and play a fast-paced game. But Simba are competitive. With the right mindset and tactical discipline, they can break down Stellenbosch. It’s all about confidence and structure.”
Finals roadmap
Simba has now joined the elite list of the top four African clubs this season in the CAF Confederation Cup.
The upcoming clash against Stellenbosch will be their biggest test yet, especially against a side that shocked the reigning champions Zamalek.
The first leg will be hosted by Simba in Zanzibar on April 20, before the return leg in South Africa on April 27.
Should Simba reach the final, the first leg will be away on May 17, with the return leg at home on May 25.
“We want more. We’ve reached here through blood, sweat, and tears. We’re not turning back now,” Davids declared.
