Caf Champions League: Simba SC will play tiki-taka vs Plateau United to honour Mkapa – Manara

Simba SC have promised to entertain and score beautiful goals when they take on Plateau United in a Caf Champions League match at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Saturday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi are carrying a 1-0 advantage from the first leg battle after Zambia midfielder Clatous Chama scored the all-important away goal in the match played in Abuja.

Simba media officer Haji Manara has now said Simba will play to entertain millions of Tanzanians, at a venue he described as not friendly to any visiting team.

He further said they will also use the occasion to honour the late Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa with a resounding win.

“On December 5, 2020, at 17:00, all of us will be singing tiki-taka, it is because we want Simba to win and not only win but also to entertain, we want to entertain all our Tanzanians who love football,” Manara told reporters in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday.

“If you love Simba, then it means you want to be entertained, so apart from winning [which we always do], you love Simba because you want to be entertained, so we will do exactly that, we will entertain millions of Tanzanians at a venue where we as Simba, have ‘killed’ many visiting teams, a venue we have not lost at.

“We are also looking to win the match because it will be our first match since President Mkapa [who was behind the building of the stadium] passed away, so we are going to honour him, by scoring many goals and entertaining, plus passing the ball quickly, we are not going to play only, but we want to entertain too.

“If I say it, know that Simba have said it, even the players [where they are eating now], their eyes are looking at me, and I have not lied anything, we will entertain to win.”

Manara’s sentiments come a few days after Simba coach Sven Vandenbroeck insisted they have not finished their job yet after managing to secure a vital 1-0 away win.

“It was a tough game, against a very strong opponent who tried all tricks technically to find a goal but I congratulate my players because all 90 minutes were running to prevent them from scoring,” Vandenbroeck was quoted by the club’s social media after the match.

“I think we need to be very happy with the victory, it is a very great result [considering we won away from home] but we still haven't finished the job yet, because next week we have 90 minutes.”

Simba will now need a draw of any kind in the return leg to advance to the next stage of the competition.