CAFCC: Simba SC vs RS Berkane ‘not over yet’ – Mukwala

Photo Credit - Simba SC Tanzania.

Simba SC striker Steven Mukwala insists the CAF Confederation Cup final against RS Berkane is far from over despite the Tanzanian side losing 2-0 in the first leg at Berkane Municipal Stadium on Saturday.

RS Berkane’s first-leg triumph put them firmly on course for a third continental crown, with the decisive return leg taking place on May 25. However, Mukwala knows Simba have 90 minutes to make amends and win the second leg.

“Basically the game wasn’t bad. We tried as players to fight so hard, to make sure that at least we can get a draw, but luck wasn’t on our side. So we don’t have to blame anyone. Right now we need to go home and focus on the next game,” Mukwala told Pan-Africa Football.

“We must try to rectify the mistakes that we made and get ready. We believe the return leg will be much better than this. We have only played 90 minutes, and we still have more.”

Mukwala continued: “If you watched the game, Berkane came on a high note, like they were pressing us so hard. I believe we did not concede under pressure, it was the fact Berkane did very well in the first 20 minutes, no doubt about it.

“The good thing is we managed to pick ourselves up after the 15 minutes and we also tried to play our style, and I believe in the return leg, we will pull up our socks and play better than we started in Berkane.”

Asked whether the Simba players were comfortable to play at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam or Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar for the return leg final, Mukwala replied: “We are ready to play anywhere, because that is home, Zanzibar is home, Mkapa is home, so we will get enough support from our fans.

“I believe we will work on our mistakes and get a better result than we did from the first leg.”

While the Msimbazi Reds will be keen to overturn the deficit, Berkane will look to complete the job and lift their third Confederation Cup title.