Simba SC narrowly missed out on an incredible comeback in their CAF Champions League quarterfinal tie against Kaizer Chiefs at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania after winning the second leg 3-0.

Simba only have themselves to blame after a shoddy display in the first leg of the quarterfinals saw them lose 4-0 in Soweto against debutants Kaizer Chiefs.

A 4-0 win for the Amakhosi suggested this tie was all but over already but Simba showed lots of heart and character to fight back and make a game of things at home. The Tanzanian hosts put in an outstanding display that almost brought them back from the dead.

The Tanzanians champions who look all set to retain their league title showed their true mettle in the second leg but left themselves too much to do.

Simba enjoyed early dominance as they forced Chiefs onto the back foot as Luis Miquissone was running the show from the left flank and almost opened the scoring with a shot from a tight angle in the seventh minute.

Simba’s desperation to score meant that Kaizer Chiefs were going to get chances to score and at the 13-minute mark, the South African side missed out on a great chance to add to their overall advantage, as Lebogang Manyama provided a great cross from the right to pick out Leonardo Castro, but somehow, the unmarked striker failed to connect cleanly on his header.

In the 24th minute, Wekundu wa Msimbazi reduced the aggregate deficit to 4-1, with John Bocco forcing a shot beyond goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma to give the home team the lead on the day. The goal came from a nicely worked counter-attack after a great diagonal pass from Chris Mugalu that was lobbed into Bocco’s path by Cletus Chama.

The goal sparked a period of constant attacking pressure from the hosts, who forced Bvuma into pulling off a couple of outstanding saves to deny Bocco and Chama. Unfortunately for Simba, they had to make three unplanned substitutions due to injuries as Bernard Morrison, Erasto Nyoni and Kennedy Juma replaced Mzamiru Yassin, Taddeo Lwanga and Joash Onyango inside the opening 38 minutes.

A lengthy period of injury time due to the three injuries for Simba meant that Chiefs had to absorb a lot of pressure but the hosts will be kicking themselves as they wasted several half-chances to as the half ended with just that one goal.

 

 

Simba were nonstop in the second half as well. They pushed on in hopes of still mounting a comeback. As the pressure mounted, a second goal came soon after in the 56th minute to really give the hosts the belief that they can produce the comeback.

Miquissone did a great job to get past Reeve Frosler before playing a dangerous low cross that deflected off a Chiefs defender and was turned home at close range by Bocco.

They should have made it 3-0 after 72 minutes when Mugalu latched onto Morrison’s pull-back, but his shot was sent straight into the arms of a grateful Bvuma. Mugalu had to just pick out any of the sides to get the goal.

The third goal did arrive in the 86th minute to make the South African visitors extremely nervous as Chama’s solo run saw him in on goal and he made no mistake with a perfectly-placed right-footed shot past the keeper to make it 3-0 on the day.

Chiefs, however, did enough to hold on to avoid extra time and secure a huge victory to qualify for the CAF Champions League semifinal in their first appearance at the tournament.

Chiefs will face Wydad Casablanca in next month’s semifinal. Wydad overcame MC Alger in an intense encounter and qualified for their third consecutive CAFCL semifinal.