Kaizer Chiefs head coach – Gavin Hunt – has predicted a very tough battle against Tanzania’s Simba SC in the quarterfinals of the 2020-21 CAF Champions League later this month.
The South African giants will be making their debut in the quarterfinals of Africa’s premier club competition in their first-ever appearance in the competition and have been drawn against Tanzanian champions Simba SC in the knockout stage draw.
The Chiefs just about squeezed through to the last 8 of the competition, finishing second in Group C behind runaway leaders Wydad Casablanca. The Amakhosi ended with nine points, level with Guinea’s Horoya AC, but trumped the Conakry-based club on the head-to-head rule.
Game 4⃣
🇿🇦 @KaizerChiefs 🆚 @SimbaSCTanzania 🇹🇿#TotalCAFCL pic.twitter.com/4JKDfRTLNR
— Total CAFCL – Total CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) April 30, 2021
Simba, on the other hand, looked very good as they finished on top of Group A ahead of defending African champions Al Ahly, as well as two strong teams in AS Vita Club of DR Congo and Sudanese heavyweights Al Merrikh.
Simba’s group stage performance has gained attention and Hunt is well aware of the threat they pose: “Any team you draw now is a tough draw,” said the Chiefs boss, as quoted by The South African.
“Simba had a good group stage, they beat Al Ahly. They are certainly a side we can’t take lightly.
“It will be a very tough [tie] either way and we will just concentrate on our next game and we will take it from there.”
Kaizer Chiefs will host Simba in the first leg on 14th/15th May followed by the second leg a week later in Tanzania on 21st/22nd May.
The winners of this tie will face a stern test against the winner between Algeria’s MC Alger and Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca in the semifinals.