Dar es Salaam. Simba’s journey towards the CAF Confederation Cup title will not be easy after being drawn against Egypt’s Al Masry in the quarterfinals, as announced on Thursday, February 20, 2025, in the draw held in Doha, Qatar.
Simba’s challenge will be to secure a win in the first leg away from home, before returning to complete the task in the second leg.
They will meet Al Masry for the second time in CAF competitions, but this time in a different stage of the tournament.
If Simba manage to overcome this hurdle, they will face another difficult challenge in the semifinals, where they could face defending champions Zamalek of Egypt or South Africa’s Stellenbosch FC.
This marks Simba’s sixth appearance in the quarterfinals of CAF competitions over the past seven seasons since 2018-2019.
However, they have always fallen short at this stage, being eliminated by opponents in both the Champions League and the Confederation Cup.
The draw against Al Masry, who finished second in Group D behind Zamalek, brings back memories of their 2018 encounter in the second round of the Confederation Cup, where the Egyptian side advanced on away goals after the aggregate score ended in a 2-2 draw.
The two teams first met on March 7, 2018, in a match played under heavy rain, which ended in a 2-2 draw. In the return leg in Egypt on March 17, 2018, Simba was eliminated due to an away goals rule, after a 1-1 draw.
Simba secured their place in this season’s quarterfinals by topping Group A, ahead of Algeria’s CR Constantine. Now, they must overcome their recent history of falling short at this stage, aiming to break the six-year barrier of not reaching the semifinals.
The team will play the first leg away, before hosting Al Masry for the return leg. If Simba progresses, they could face either Zamalek or Stellenbosch in the semifinals.
Other teams in the quarterfinals include Morocco’s RS Berkane against Asec Mimosas of Ivory Coast, and USM Alger facing fellow Algerian side Constantine. The first leg matches are scheduled for April 2, with the return legs on April 9.
Playing the first leg away could work to Simba’s advantage, as they will have the opportunity to finish the tie at home.
However, they must perform well in Cairo, considering their poor start in the 2020-2021 Champions League, where they were thrashed 4-0 by Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa but managed to recover with a 3-0 win at home, only to be eliminated on a 4-3 aggregate score.
Simba’s head coach, Fadlu Davids, has expressed confidence in his team’s ability to face any opponent, emphasizing the importance of preparing well and utilizing their home advantage to secure a spot in the semifinals.
Simba has been buoyed by key players who have helped them reach this stage, including Jean Charles Ahoua, Kibu Denis, Leonel Atena, goalkeeper Moussa Camara, defenders Abdulrazaq Hamza, Che Fondoh Malone, and midfielders Yusuf Kagoma, Fabrice Ngoma, among others.
These players will play a crucial role in helping Simba repeat their historic semifinals appearance in 1974 and 1993 in African competitions.
On the continental stage, Simba is considered a top-tier team compared to their opponents, although their most significant achievement remains reaching the CAF Cup final in 1993, where they lost to Stella Abidjan from Ivory Coast.
They are also the only Tanzanian club to have reached the semifinals of the African Cup of Champions (now the CAF Champions League) in 1974, where they were eliminated by Egypt’s El Mehala after a penalty shootout following 1-0 home wins for each team.
Simba’s qualification for the quarterfinals guarantees them $550,000, which is over 1.4 billion Tanzanian Shillings, and if they progress to the semifinals, they will earn an additional $750,000 (approximately Sh2 billion).
