Dar es Salaam. Simba SC head coach Fadlu Davids remains optimistic ahead of the CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinal return leg at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, despite his side’s 2-0 defeat to Al Masry in Port Said on Wednesday this week.
The South African tactician admitted that his team committed avoidable errors, but believes there’s still ample room to overturn the result in front of their home crowd.
“We started well but failed to capitalize on our chances. We dominated possession with 59 percent and had 18 shots to their seven. But our lack of sharpness in front of goal cost us,” Davids noted.
Despite Simba’s impressive stats in ball possession and an 83 percent passing accuracy, the team struggled to convert pressure into goals.
Al Masry, on the other hand, were clinical in their execution, defending in numbers and launching calculated counterattacks.
“We saw our weaknesses. We tried breaking through their defense but made the wrong decisions in the final third. We must correct this before the return leg,” Davids emphasized.
Simba won five corners to Al Masry’s one, a clear indication of their attacking intent.
However, the Tanzanian giants failed to make those set-pieces count.
With the second leg looming, Davids has stressed the need for his side to come out aggressively and score early to build momentum.
“We can’t afford a slow start. We have to attack from the first whistle,” he said.
One of Simba’s major issues was their inefficiency in front of goal, with only seven of their 18 attempts hitting the target.
Davids wants his players to stay composed and clinical in key moments.
“If we created this many chances away, it means we can definitely score at home. What we need is better focus, belief, and ruthlessness in front of goal,” he underscored.
Statistically, Al Masry had a higher xG (expected goals) value of 0.84 compared to Simba’s 0.68, underlining their superior shot quality.
Davids admitted Simba must tighten up defensively and avoid gifting opportunities.
Discipline is another area of concern — Simba picked up three yellow cards against Al Masry’s one.
The coach warned that unnecessary fouls could derail their comeback plans.
“We have to remain disciplined and avoid careless mistakes. We can’t afford to concede again,” he cautioned.
The return leg is expected to attract a packed Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, with thousands of passionate Simba fans ready to roar their team forward.
Davids believes this home support could be the X-factor.
“Our fans are our 12th man. They can push us to one of the greatest comebacks in the club’s history,” he declared.
To accomplish that, the coach says his team must be flawless across all departments — defense, midfield, and attack.
“We need balance. We must attack with intensity but also defend with intelligence. Conceding at home would be a huge blow.”
Simba must win by at least two goals to force a penalty shootout, or by a margin of three or more to progress outright.
Davids is confident his players can rise to the occasion if they execute his plan with precision.
“Losing away isn’t the end. We’ve seen many teams overturn first-leg losses in this competition. We can do the same,” he exuded his optimism.
Key players like Elie Mpanzu, Charles Jean Ahoua, and Kibu Denis will need to step up and deliver big performances to keep Simba’s continental dreams alive.
