Simba determined to turn things around in Al Ahly second encounter

Defending champions Al Ahly will be on a quest to grab a spot in the CAF Champions League semi-finals when they take on Simba at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday evening, 5 April. The match kicks off at 10pm CAT.

The first-leg encounter between the two teams played at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salaam ended with the Egyptian Red Devils winning 1-0, giving them an advantage going into the second-leg.

Al Ahly is unbeaten in their last 17 CAF Champions League games and will aim to keep up their streak in their bid to clinch the title for a record 12th time.

Abdelhak Benchikha, the coach of Simba expressed regret for the team’s missed opportunities following their defeat to the Egyptian team in the first-leg last Saturday.

Simba pressed their opponents hard, forcing them into their own half on multiple occasions but could not find the back of the net.

“At this level of football, you must use your chances against a big club like Al Ahly, or else you suffer the consequences, which are usually bitter,” he said.

Despite the disappointing outcome, Benchikha remained optimistic about his team’s chances in the second leg in Cairo.

“We have not given up. We want to use the second leg away in Cairo. As much as it will be tough, we will have to push to the end,” he affirmed.

For Al Ahly, the team will be without Mohamed El Shenawy who is still in recovery following shoulder surgery and Yassir Ibrahim is undergoing a rehabilitation program after suffering a hamstring injury.

The aggregate winners of the match will face either TP Mazembe or Petro de Luanda in the semi-final of the continental competition.