Tanzania giants Simba SC have stated they will use the first 20 minutes of their Caf Champions League clash against FC Platinum to advance to the group stage of the competition.
The two sides will face off in the return leg at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Wednesday with the Zimbabwean champions enjoying the slim advantage of a 1-0 win secured from the first leg played in Harare a week ago.
The club’s Information Officer Haji Manara has now bragged that a number of top teams from Africa have seen their 'fire' and suffered defeats while playing Simba at Mkapa Stadium.
“We will finish the game within the first 20 minutes, you know very well what happens when we play at Mkapa, several teams have suffered at the venue and Platinum will not be an exception,” Manara told reporters in Dar es Salaam ahead of the return leg.
“We have beaten AS Vita Club [of DR Congo] at Mkapa, we have beaten Al Ahly [from Egypt], we have beaten Zambia’s Nkana FC and it will be the same thing against Platinum, we will do the job in the space of 20 minutes, just watch the space, people should know this is Simba, we do what we want and it is not easy to beat us at Mkapa.”
Manara has further urged fans to turn out in large numbers and give the players support promising they will not be disappointed at the final whistle.
“We urge our fans to come and cheer the team, let us give them support from the first to the final whistle, I am sure with their [fans'] support, Platinum will get nothing from the fixture,” Manara continued.
“I can assure you, there is no way they [Platinum] will come out of Mkapa Stadium with a win, they know what we have done to other teams, they know we have done it against the biggest clubs from Africa, will it be them to beat us? It will not be possible.
“Our strength is because of the fans, our pride is because of the fans, we depend on our fans more than anything else, we are the team of the people and we want them to come in big numbers, our target is the group stage and we will make it for sure.”
The tough speaking Simba spokesman further called on the players to write history by becoming the second team to reach the group stage of the competition.
“I want to urge Bocco and his teammates to know they are a step away from leaving a legacy, they are a step away from helping the team reach the group stage for the second time in history, so they should work hard to make sure we reach that stage.
“They will set a record that will remain forever, even when they retire they will know they did something, they wrote history, they left a legacy, to qualify for the second time, even if other players will come to do it again, they will have done it before them, so the others will copy what they have achieved already.”
Manara continued: “Your legs have the chance to make history, it is your legs that have the chance to leave a legacy and when your time to retire comes, you will always brag you were among the players to lead Simba to the group stage of the competition.”
Simba qualified for the second round after a 1-0 aggregate win over Plateau United of Nigeria while Platinum made it to the next round after a 4-1 aggregate win over Costa De Sol of Mozambique, winning the first leg played in Maputo 2-1 before claiming a 2-0 win in the return leg played in Harare.
Last season, Simba failed to make it past the preliminary stage after losing on the away goals rule to UD Songo of Mozambique.