Simba face a tall order to eliminate Al Masry in CAF Confederation Cup quarters

Dar es Salaam. One of Tanzania’s football giants, Simba, must put in extra effort to secure a favorable result in their return leg match on April 9, 2025, at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

This comes after their 2-0 defeat to Al Masry in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup knockout stage, played today, April 2, 2025, in Ismailia, Egypt.

The match, held at the New Suez Stadium, also known as as-Suways (Suez)—saw Al Masry score a goal in each half to register a significant victory at their home venue.

Al Masry started the match aggressively, pressing Simba’s defense in the early minutes in front of a packed stadium. The home side celebrated their first goal in the 16th minute, with Abderrahim Deghmoum capitalizing on a well-timed pass from Youssef El Gohary.

Deghmoum unleashed a powerful left-footed shot, leaving Simba’s first-choice goalkeeper, Moussa Camara, with no chance to stop it.

After conceding the goal, Al Masry seemed to slow their pace, allowing Simba to take control of the game.

The Msimbazi Street giants dominated possession and created several clear scoring opportunities, but their strikers either shot wide or were denied by Al Masry’s goalkeeper, Mahmoud Gad. Despite their dominance, Simba went into the halftime break trailing 1-0.

Second half struggles

Simba started the second half with determination, with Elie Mpanzu continuously troubling Al Masry’s defense. However, their struggles in front of goal persisted, as they failed to convert clear-cut chances.

A golden opportunity for Simba came in the 85th minute when right-back Shomari Kapombe missed a clear scoring chance following a well-placed pass from Steven Mukwala, who had come on as a substitute for Leonel Ateba in the 79th minute.

Al Masry’s goalkeeper, Mahmoud Gad, was once again Simba’s tormentor, making a crucial save in the 86th minute to deny Kapombe’s powerful shot just outside the danger zone.

However, Simba’s hope of leaving Ismailia with a narrow defeat were shattered in the dying minutes of the match.

Nigerian forward John Ebuka sealed a hard-fought victory for the Egyptian side in the 89th minute, firing home a goal that gave Al Masry a confidence-boosting two-goal cushion ahead of the return leg in Dar es Salaam.

The match referee, Malian official Boubou Traore, had to confirm the goal using VAR.

Statistical breakdown

Despite the loss, Simba’s statistics reflected a strong performance. They registered 18 shots compared to Al Masry’s seven and controlled 51 percent of possession against the hosts’ 49 percent. However, their inability to convert chances into goals ultimately cost them.

Return leg expectations

Simba now face a challenging task in the return leg at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on April 9. They must win by at least a three-goal margin (3-0) to secure a spot in the semifinals of the CAF Confederation Cup.

With the home advantage and an expected massive turnout of fans, Simba will need to capitalize on every opportunity and ensure defensive solidity to keep their continental dreams alive.