DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Oct 20 – Simba SC head coach Roberto Oliveira, formerly on a short stint with Kenyan champions Gor Mahia, says the club will be flying the East African flag when they take on Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the opening fixture of the inaugural edition of the African Football League.
Simba is one of eight teams in the continent playing in the multi-million-dollar tournament, and will kick off their campaign against Egyptian giants Al Ahly at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Friday.
“This is a big thing for Simba. We are representing Tanzanian football and also East Africa. We want to go out there and do well for the region,” said the Brazilian coach.
Simba take on Ahly in what promises to be a mouth watering clash, and Robertinho expects the home crowd to push them on and win at home to have a realistic chance of making the semi-finals.
With eight teams involved, the games roll straight into the quarters, played over two legs, with the aggregate winners progressing to the semis.
“We want our fans to come out and it is important for us. We will play with heart. I believe in our capacity and strategy for the game. It will be a huge advantage for us to play with 12 men, with the fans in the stands pushing us,” the coach said.
He says they expect a tough encounter against Ahly, who he says are a force to reckon with in African football but his team is ready to face off with them as they also believe they are one of the biggest teams in Africa.
“Ahly is a good club with a lot of experience playing in the Champions League. Simba is also a big club and now number seven in Africa. We respect our opponents and they need to respect us too,” said the coach.
He added; “We want to win every game and this is a big moment not just for Simba, but Tanzanian football as well. Our objective is to win and make a good performance.”
His sentiments are shared by skipper John Raphael Bocco, who says the players know what is at stake and are ready to fight for the badge.
“We know we are up for a big and tough game, coming up against a team with lots of experience. We want to go all out for a win especially noting that we are playing at home,” Bocco said.
He added; “Such games are usually a motivation in themselves for players because we all want to go out and show what we can do as a team. We have good players and a team with a blend of young and experienced players and the focus is one, to go onto the pitch and win. We are not 11 players on the pitch but a team.”
