Dar es Salaam. Simba have made it to the semifinals of CAF competitions, defeating Al Masry in a thrilling penalty shootout victory at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
Simba had initially suffered a 2-0 defeat in the first leg of the quarterfinals away in Egypt, despite taking 18 shots compared to Al Masry’s seven.
With a strong home record at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Simba entered the match with the mantra Hii Tunavuka (We Will Cross), buoyed by an average of two goals per game since the competition’s first round.
In the first 45 minutes, Fadlu Davids’ side took control, dominating more than 60 percent of the match.
They fired 15 shots, four of which were on target, with one finding the back of the net.
Al Masry managed just four shots, two of which were on target.
In the 22nd minute, Elie Mpanzu unleashed a shot that beat Al Masry’s goalkeeper Gad, following a pass from Shomary Kapombe.
This goal marked Simba’s first in continental competition.
That goal boosted Simba’s confidence, and they continued to press, creating multiple attacks from all areas of the field.
Mpanzu (on the left), Kibu Denis (on the right), and Charles Jean Ahoua, who played behind Steven Mukwala, kept the pressure on Al Masry’s defence.
In the 33rd minute, Simba scored again when Mukwala headed home a cross from Mohammed Hussein. The score was 2-0 at halftime in favour of Simba.
THE KEY TO SIMBA’S SUCCESS
Simba’s early offensive approach, characterised by continuous attacks and the speed of their wide players, was crucial in breaking down Al Masry’s defence.
Mpanzu, Kibu, and Ahoua were pivotal in exploiting gaps in the defensive setup, which allowed Simba to score in the 22nd and 33rd minutes of the first half.
After going behind, Al Masry adjusted their formation in the second half, making a swift substitution by bringing in Hashem for the overwhelmed El Gohary in the 46th minute.
The Egyptians tried to open up but found Simba’s pressure relentless, often losing possession in their own half.
Faced with increasing difficulty, they resorted to time-wasting tactics.
RECORD BROKEN
Simba had not reached the semifinals of a CAF competition since 1974, when they competed in the African Cup of Champions Clubs.
Since then, they had been eliminated at the quarterfinal stage on six occasions, including in 1994, 2018-2019, 2020-2021, 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024.
This marks their sixth quarterfinal qualification in the past seven seasons since 2018, including two in the CAF Confederation Cup (2021-2022, 2024-2025) and four in the CAF Champions League (2018-2019, 2020-2021, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024).
In 1974, Simba’s journey started with a 3-0 defeat to Linare FC of Lesotho in the first leg but bounced back with a 6-0 win in the return leg, advancing 6-3 on aggregate.
They continued to impress, defeating Green Buffaloes of Zambia (9-0 aggregate) and Hearts of Oak of Ghana (2-1 on aggregate) to reach the semifinals.
Simba’s semifinal appearance in 1974 ended with a penalty shootout loss to Ghazl El Mahalla of Egypt, after the two teams had drawn 1-1 on aggregate.
Despite being eliminated in that season, Simba’s journey provided significant moments, including their eventual loss in the final to CARA Brazzaville of Congo.
SIMBA’S FINANCIAL REWARD
Simba’s advancement to the semifinals guarantees them a prize of $750,000 (over 1.9 billion Tanzanian shillings) from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
In addition, the team’s players will receive extra incentives from sponsors, led by prominent businessman Mohamed Dewji ‘Mo’ and the club’s board, totalling over $188,000 (more than 480 million shillings).
The assist providers, Kapombe and Tshabalala, along with goalscorers Mpanzu and Mukwala, will each receive $5,000 (over 12.7 million shillings) for every goal scored.
In addition, players will benefit from a bonus announced by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, who pledged TSh 10 million for every goal scored.
STARTING LINEUPS:
Simba (4-2-3-1): Camara, Kapombe, Hussein, Hamza, Karaboue, Ngoma, Mpanzu, Kagoma, Mukwala, Kibu, Ahoua.
Al Masry (3-5-2): Gad, Hamada, El Mohamady, Sobhi, Makhlouf, El Saadawy, El Gohary, Samadou, Eid, Deghmoum, Salah Mohsen.
