Caf Champions League: Why FC Platinum lead is 'not a threat' to Simba SC - Vandenbroeck

Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has maintained FC Platinum are not a big threat to their ambitions of reaching the group stage of the Caf Champions League.

The two sides will face off in the return leg at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Wednesday with the Zimbabwean champions enjoying a slim advantage of a 1-0 win secured from the first leg played in Harare a week ago.

Despite trailing heading into the second meeting, the Belgian tactician has maintained they did not deserve to lose the first leg battle and that his opponents are not a threat to deny them a chance to progress to the group stage.

“We are in a good position to win the second leg because our opponents are not a threat,” Vandenbroeck told reporters in Dar es Salaam as quoted by Daily News. “We did not lose our first away match because of their prowess, but we lost because of our mistakes.

“They managed to score and now we have to be careful when we meet in the return leg.

“We lost 1-0 away but we now have 90 minutes to battle and make things right. We know what to expect from our opponents and we are ready to make Tanzanians proud, we want to reach the group stage and we have to win the match.”

In a previous interview, Platinum coach Norman Mapeza stated they are in Tanzania to finish the job they started in Zimbabwe when they face Simba.

“We have come to do the same task of seeking victory and we are ready to get the win and qualify,” Mapeza told reporters at Julius Nyerere Airport.

“There is nothing else we need, all we know is our opponents are psychologically prepared and we know they are a tough team to play at home, we respect them but we are not afraid of them.

“We got a 1-0 win back home, we should have scored more but even the slim advantage is good for us because we will strive to score goals away, we will push them and the more they move forward, we have the chance to kill them off on counter-attacks.”

Asked on what style he will deploy against Simba, Mapeza explained: “Don’t worry, we know how to deal with them, I have been following their games and I know how to handle them, it will be a good game and our main target is to reach the group stage.”

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.