CAFCL: Simba SC to play Gaborone United behind closed doors – Ally

Tanzania Premier League giants Simba SC have confirmed they will face Gaborone United in their return leg of CAF Champions League behind closed doors on Sunday.

According to the club’s Media Officer Ahmed Ally, despite their efforts to have the ban overturned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the situation was not able to change with the club further being handed heavy fines.

“The first loss is we lose fans, the second loss is we lose revenue and the third loss is we pay a fine of USD 50,000,” Ally told Pan-Africa Football.

“We have also been given a penalty for the final match against RS Berkane, where our fans also lit fireworks. In the final match we were fined USD 35,000. In total we have lost USD 85,000 equivalent to Tsh. 200 million.”

Simba will head into the game with a 1-0 advantage

Ally added: “We are going to play without fans only in the match against Gaborone United but because we have made continuous mistakes, CAF will be watching if we repeat the same things when we start having fans for our matches.

“We must be really careful to show them (CAF) that we have learned and changed. From now on let us take a new image and protect our club from being fined, and facing such situations of playing behind closed doors.”

The Msimbazi Reds will head into the fixture at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium carrying a 1-0 advantage from the first leg in Botswana.