Caf Champions League: Kaizer Chiefs deserved to beat sloppy Simba SC – Manara

Simba SC have admitted they were poor and deserved to suffer defeat against Kaizer Chiefs in their Caf Champions League quarter-final fixture on Saturday.

The Msimbazi giants suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat against Amakhosi in the first leg battle at FNB Stadium with goals from Samir Nurkovic (a brace), Erick Mathoho, and Leonardo Castro inspiring the home side to victory.

The deserved win also saw the Soweto giants maintain their unbeaten home record in this season's Champions League and put one leg in the semi-finals of the competition.

Simba information officer Haji Manara has since stated they had lost to the better team on the matchday and admitted his team’s display was poor and sloppy, coupled with many silly mistakes.

“We have lost to a team who were the best of the day,” Manara wrote on his social media pages. “We have played a very poor game and did not deserve to get anything from the game.

“We committed very many silly mistakes which deserved the humiliation we have received in Johannesburg but life must go on, we also have another 90 minutes to decide the destiny of the game in the return leg.”

Chiefs got an early goal in the third minute through defender Mathoho with a header, finishing off a corner-kick by Chiefs captain Bernard Parker, before striker Nurkovic gave them a second goal in the 33rd minute after finishing a cross from Lebogang Manyama.

The Reds of Msimbazi looked to pull one back after the restart, but their defence looked shaky whenever the visitors were forced to defend against the likes of Manyama, Nurkovic, and Castro.

Nurkovic gave Chiefs the third goal in the 57th minute with a powerful shot after getting the ball from Simba captain Mohamed Hussein, who wanted to clear the danger and it was 4-0 up for Amakhosi when Castro headed home a cross from Manyama from the right-wing.

In the second half, Simba coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa replaced Jonas Mkude, Larry Bwalya, and Luis Miquissone with Meddie Kagere, Hassan Dilunga, and John Bocco, but the changes did not help Wekundu Wa Msimbazi get even an away goal.

The defeat means Simba will require at least a 4-0 win in the return leg set for Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on May 22 to advance to the semi-finals.