Why Fadlu Is Confident Of Securing CAFCC Semifinal Spot

Simba SC coach Fadlu Davids has revealed the reason why he is upbeat about his sides’ chances of progressing to the semifinals of the CAF Confederations Cup after they were drawn against Egyptian side Al Masry on Wednesday (18:00) in the quarterfinals.

The Tanzanian giants had an impressive group stage campaign after finishing atop group A with 13 points accumulated, edging Algerian side CS Constantine with one point – this after Davids’ men claimed a 2-0 win over the North Africans in the last match.

Simba won four matches, drew one against group stage debutants FC Bravos do Maquis of Mozambique, and suffered a 2-1 defeat to Constantine in their second match. 

The Reds of Msimbazi scored eight goals and conceded four in that period.

After learning their fate in another installment of their search for a first continental title, the South African mentor has welcomed a clash against Al Masry but acknowledges the magnitude of the task at hand – particularly the away match.

“We accept the draw; every team we play is going to be a tough team. They are doing well in the Egyptian league, and it’s going to be very tough, especially when we go away from home,” said Davids, who took over in July 2024.

While he is wary of the threat posed by the opponents in their backyard, Davids is confident his team can get a favorable result up North and secure passage to the next round of the competition as he believes his charges are not entirely on the backfoot as they did their pre-season in Egypt.

“But we’ve done our pre-season in Egypt, and we’re well prepared for the climate, and we played some teams in Egypt as well. So, it won’t be easy like any match in the quarterfinal, but we’re ready for the match,” the 43-year-old tactician added.

With Simba set to visit Al Masry in the first leg of the tie, thus retaining the advantage of playing the decisive match in front of their home fans, the former Orlando Pirates co-coach has reflected on the importance of clinching the top spot in group A.

“That was the very important aspect to be top of the group. You play away first, and with the result, you know what to do, what to expect, and what result you need to qualify, and with our fans behind us in Dar es Salaam, we have the advantage of playing the second match at home.

“We know in this competition once you get to this round, it’s tough matches especially away from home, you have to be really at your best in every second of the game to be able to qualify for the semifinal.

The return leg at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam a week later on 9 April 2025 for a spot in the semifinal.