Dar es Salaam. This weekend marks the beginning of a tense and highly anticipated CAF Champions League group-stage campaign for Tanzania’s football giants, Yanga SC and Simba SC.
Both clubs open their campaigns at home a significant advantage, but one that comes under the shadow of the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) appointment of referees known for their strict, card-heavy officiating.
Yanga will set the stage on Saturday when they welcome Morocco’s AS FAR Rabat at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar in a Group B opener expected to attract a full house and immense pressure.
Twenty-four hours later, Simba SC step into the spotlight at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium as they face Petro Atletico of Angola in their Group D opener.
Both matches kick off at 10:00pm local time, signalling a primetime weekend for Tanzanian football lovers.
Yanga’s Group B is a demanding one, featuring African powerhouse Al Ahly of Egypt and Algeria’s JS Kabylie. Simba, placed in Group D, also face formidable opponents in Esperance de Tunis, Petro de Luanda, and Stade Malien.
With such heavyweight company, securing early points at home becomes more than a necessity it is a strategic lifeline.
CAF has assigned Mauritian referee Ahmad Imtehaz Heeralall to officiate Yanga’s clash, a decision likely to draw attention given his history with Tanzanian clubs and his reputation as a strict disciplinarian.
Heeralall has previously overseen three matches involving Tanzanian teams in CAF competitions: two involving Yanga and one featuring Simba, in addition to officiating Tanzania’s national team in Afcon qualifiers.
His most memorable outing involving a Tanzanian side came on March 24, 2023, when he officiated Tanzania’s dramatic 1–0 victory over Uganda courtesy of Simon Msuva’s late strike.
His first Tanzanian club assignment was a fiery 3–2 Gor Mahia win over Yanga on July 29, 2018 at Mkapa Stadium, a match remembered for its intensity and officiating decisions.
He later handled Simba’s 3–1 loss to Raja Casablanca on April 1, 2023 in the Champions League.
More recently, in the 2024–2025 season, Heeralall took charge of Yanga’s statement 3–1 victory over TP Mazembe on January 4, 2025, where his firm approach helped the match maintain control despite its high tempo.
He also officiated one AS FAR match their 2–0 defeat to USM Alger in the 2022–2023 CAF Confederation Cup quarter-finals, a match noted for its physicality.
Across his career, the 43-year-old referee has handled 49 CAF and FIFA-recognised matches, issuing 128 yellow cards an average of 2.6 per game along with two second-yellow send-offs and nine penalties.
Such statistics underscore the level of discipline Yanga must maintain to avoid costly moments on Saturday.
Simba, on the other hand, will be monitored by Cameroon’s Abdou Abdel Mefire, a young but rapidly rising referee aged 29.
Though relatively new to the international scene, his strictness is already evident in the 62 yellow cards, one red card, and two penalties he has issued in just 17 international matches.
Mefire’s first high-profile Tanzanian assignment came on August 22, 2025, when he officiated Tanzania’s narrow 1–0 loss to Morocco in the CHAN quarter-finals at Benjamin Mkapa.
His officiating in that fixture was decisive, firm, and at times controversial qualities that have come to define his fast-growing profile.
He has also overseen Tanzania’s U20 side in the AFCON U20 tournament, where they fell 1–0 to Egypt on May 9, 2025.
One of the highlights of his career so far is his appointment to officiate the 2024 CHAN final, where Morocco edged Madagascar 3–2 at Kenya’s Moi International Sports Centre.
As Simba prepare for a tough Group D that includes Esperance, Petro, and Stade Malien, the appointment of a referee with limited but strict international experience adds another layer of unpredictability to their opener.
With both Tanzanian giants playing at home and under referees who do not hesitate to reach for their pockets, discipline, patience, and tactical clarity will be key.
Fans should expect high-tempo football, physical duels, and possibly, a flurry of cards the trademark of the officials CAF has chosen for these pivotal opening fixtures.
