Benchikha: We need our fans in Dar es Salaam

Abdelhak Benchikha, head coach of Simba. ©Mohamed Aly/BackpagePix

Saturday Mar 16, 2024. 11:20

Simba head coach Abdelhak Benchikha wants to put early pressure on Al Ahly to give his team the advantage in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals.

The Msimbazi Reds are set to lock horns with the Red Eagles for the second time this season after they went head to head in the last eight of African Football League in October 2023.

In a repeat of their AFL tie, Simba will host the first leg at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on March 29 before travelling to the Cairo International Stadium for the second leg on April 5.

The Tanzanian giants exited CAF’s new flagship club competition on away goals five months ago, having held their more illustrious opponents to a 2-2 draw in Dar es Salaam and a 1-1 draw in Cairo.

Benchikha feels their fans will have an important role to play in the home leg and has urged them to come out in their droves to support his side.

“I am back with my team, tomorrow we have a league match, and after that, we have to prepare for a big match against Al Ahly,” the Algerian tactician said on the club’s social media account X.

“We have to prepare for this match seriously, and we hope that our fans will attend to show them that we have people behind us, and we want to put pressure on them so that we do not regret it.”