CAFCC: Davids proud of Simba SC for taking RS Berkane toe-to-toe

Photo Credit - Simba SC Tanzania.

Simba SC head coach Fadlu Davids has sung the praise of his players despite drawing 1-1 against RS Berkane in the return leg final and missing out on the CAF Confederation Cup trophy at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar on Sunday.

The Moroccan side, having earned a 2-0 first-leg advantage at Berkane Municipal Stadium a fortnight ago, displayed grit and composure under immense pressure away from home to claim their third Confederation Cup title, adding to their triumphs in 2020 and 2022.

The Msimbazi Reds took an early lead to ignite hopes of a comeback. Joshua Mutale opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a composed finish after a clever assist from Elie Mpanzu. Simba were then dealt a blow when Yusuph Kagoma was sent off in the second half after receiving a second yellow card in the 50th minute.

With Simba pushing to make it 2-2 and take the game to extra-time, substitute Soumaila Sidibe emerged as the hero for Berkane. Sidibe scored a crucial equaliser with a well-taken right-footed effort from a tight angle, beating goalkeeper Moussa Camara.

“I am extremely proud of my players, and the main theme of the week, and the main theme of both legs on the final is overcoming adversity, and this adversity is what we faced in the lead up to the game, in training sessions, and what happened in the pitch in the entire 90 minutes, and in Berkane will definitely help the players,” Davids told Pan-Africa Football.

“It will help them to adapt to the adversity, the players started the game in a fantastic way, going 1-0 up and could have gone 2-0 up then the adversity of the swinging of the match in a certain direction, but we stood tall, we stood strong, even though in the last minutes they kept giving unnecessary free-kicks in the direction of Berkane but we stood strong, we defended well, and we were strong.”

He continued: “Again in the second half, the adversity of the unexpected red card, but still our players stood strong, our players didn’t back down, our players stood with 10-men and went toe-to-toe with Berkane, and in my first point, I am extremely proud of my players for standing up the way they did.

“No matter which way it was swinging, our players stood firm, our players stood strong with 10-men, and they were even going for the winning goal, and this is a true testament to what we have been doing this season, and the adversity kept on coming against us, but we stood strong, we fought, right up until the end.”

On Simba’s disallowed goal, the South African coach said: “Yes, I didn’t see the lines of the VAR to say whether it was offside, but I don’t think anyone saw the lines, but we accept everything that went against us, we accept but we don’t forget.

“For my players, as a coach, as a leader, and with CAF’s motto of integrity, we will remain with integrity as Simba, because that is what we are, we are a team of integrity, we are a team that will fight against adversity, we are a team that will grow through adversity.”

Simba will shift their focus to the Mainland Premier League title and the domestic CRDB Federation Cup.