Dar es Salaam. Simba players are currently enjoying a short break after wrapping up their last three Mainland Premier League fixtures in dominant fashion, sealing the run with a 2-1 victory over JKT Tanzania but head coach Dimitar Pantev is not resting he has already begun fresh preparations aimed at giving fans even more to celebrate.
The Msimbazi giants secured that win at the General Isamuhyo Stadium, and on Tuesday the players who were not called up for international duty will report back to camp after two days of rest. The team will then begin preparations for their first CAF Champions League group-stage match.
Simba, who are among the four Tanzanian clubs to reach the CAF group stages this season alongside Yanga, Azam and Singida Black Stars are expected to host Petro Atlético of Angola in their opening Group D match on November 23 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
Soon after that encounter, Simba will travel to Bamako for their second match against Stade Malien, scheduled between November 28 and 30. Pantev has already started calculations for these fixtures to ensure the team secures positive results.
The victory over JKT Tanzania his first in the Premier League came after the team’s previous two matches were handled by assistant coach Seleman Matola, who stepped in following the departure of head coach Fadlu Davids.
Pantev says the win has boosted morale within the squad ahead of their continental duties.
Recognised as the club’s manager on paper, the Bulgarian tactician emphasised that their schedule demands full concentration, given the quality of opponents awaiting them.
“It’s good to start with a win. That is already behind us; now our focus is on the CAF matches. This is a bigger stage than before,” said Pantev.
“We’ve given two days of rest to players who were not called to national teams. We want them to return mentally refreshed because CAF matches are not easy. We know Petro and even Malien are tough teams, so we must prepare well to start the group stage positively.”
The coach added that he will be without several players who are on international duty for about five or six days, including Yakoub Suleiman, Shomary Kapombe, Wilson Nangu, Seleman Mwalimu and Morice Abraham.
This forces the technical bench to apply a similar preparatory approach to the one used before their first-leg tie against Nsingizini Hotspurs in the preliminary round.
“After the FIFA calendar, when those players return, we will only have them for three or four days before the Petro match. So we will have to integrate them into what we have been working on in the days leading up to the game,” he said.
Simba begin their group-stage journey at home, a factor Pantev sees as an advantage that must be utilised fully. He is also considering arranging one or two friendly matches to keep the available players sharp.
Speaking about their opponents, Pantev described Petro de Luanda as a modern team that plays with speed and discipline.
He highlighted their pedigree, noting that they reached the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League in 2021–22 and the quarter-finals last season.
“I’ve had the chance to watch them briefly. They play short-passing football and like to attack from the wings, so we must be very alert while executing our plan,” Pantev explained.
In Group D, Simba will also face Espérance Sportive de Tunis, one of Africa’s oldest and most successful clubs.
Founded in 1919, Espérance have reached nine Champions League finals and won the title four times in 1994, 2011, 2018 and 2019.
Their other opponents, Stade Malien, are the reigning champions of Mali. The club notably won the CAF Confederation Cup in 2009.
After completing their home assignment against Petro de Luanda, Simba will depart for Mali on November 28 for their clash with Stade Malien at the Stade du 26 Mars Stadium in Bamako.
