Caf Champions League: Simba SC will go far if they play like Miquissone – Samatta

Ally Pazi Samatta, the father to Tanzania captain Mbwana Samatta, has singled out Luis Miquissone as the player who made the difference for Simba SC against Al Ahly in their Caf Champions League fixture.

The Msimbazi giants picked up a historic 1-0 win against the Egypitn outfit in their first-round meeting of Group A played in front of 30,000 fans at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.

It was Miquissone who made the difference as he scored the only goal of the game in the 31st minute, turning beautifully after exchanging passes with midfielder Clatous Chama, before unleashing a ferocious effort that sizzled past Al Ahly defenders and keeper Mohamed El Shenawy to hit the upright post before sinking into the net.

According to Samatta, whose son Mbwana is on a six-month loan deal to Turkish giants Fenerbahçe in the Super Lig, the Mozambican winger was the reason Simba troubled the African champions saying he faced them without fear and took them head-on when he had the ball.

The elder Samatta has further stated should all Simba players turn out in the remaining matches like Miquissone did against the Red Devils, then they will go far in the competition.

“His [Miquissone] short stature did not stop him from dragging Al Ahly's defensive line, he was not afraid to dribble past them, he did not fear taking them head-on, that is the courage of his kind,” Samatta told Sokalabongo.

“Miquissone was not afraid of the game at all which is why he played with confidence, they need all the players to be so I believe they can do something away if all the players can replicate what Luis did, courage and taking the rivals head-on.

“He did his job very well, he never gave Al Ahly players space to have the ball, and to cap it all, he scored a very wonderful goal, it was his day, he was the man of the match if you ask me, he gave them a hell of a time, I know they are still thinking about him wherever they are.”

Samatta’s sentiments come after Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane named Miquissone and Kenya defender Joash Onyango as the players who helped Simba to win the battle.

“Simba managed to play hard and defend themselves well for the entire 90 minutes,” Mosimane said.

“They were careful to save all the dangerous balls that came in their goal, dangerous players were number 11 [Miquissone] and 16 [Onyango].”

The win enabled Simba to move top of the group on six points from two matches while Al Ahly are second on three points from two matches.