SIMBA SC head coach Fadlu Davids has shared his thoughts ahead of their upcoming CAF Confederation Cup semi-final clash against South Africa’s Stellenbosch FC, emphasizing the importance of treating the opposition with respect due to their pace and ambition.

The first leg of the semi-final will be held on Sunday, April 20, at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar, with the second leg scheduled for April 27 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa.

This will mark the first-ever meeting between Simba SC and Stellenbosch FC, setting up an intriguing tactical battle between Davids and his compatriot Steve Barker, with both coaches aiming to guide their teams to a historic first CAF Confederation Cup final.

Davids, who took charge of the Tanzanian giants at the start of the current season, admitted he had initially expected to face the defending champions Zamalek SC at this stage. However, those plans changed when Stellenbosch FC pulled off a surprise elimination of the Egyptian powerhouse in the previous round.

"We expected to return to Egypt to face Zamalek again. We didn’t expect them to lose to Stellenbosch, especially since they are the defending champions. As a club, we were surprised by the outcome," said Davids.

"But Stellenbosch are a good team with pace, and they deserve all the respect. We saw Zamalek show them too much respect in Cape Town, and I believe that played a big role in the result."

Davids pointed out that Zamalek's strategy was overly cautious and predictable, which ultimately led to their downfall.

Turning his attention to Simba’s ambitions, Davids was optimistic about his team’s chances of reaching the final:

"Of course, we are confident in our ability to make it to the final. What I know about Stellenbosch is that they are a strong, ambitious team. I’ve coached in South Africa, I know their coach and several of their players," he said.

"This is a golden opportunity for us. It’s the first time in our history that we’ve reached this stage in the CAF Confederation Cup. We are more accustomed to competing in the CAF Champions League, but we are fully focused on making history in this tournament."

Simba SC, 22-time Tanzanian champions, had never advanced beyond the quarter-finals in both the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup - until now. 

They finally broke their quarter-final curse with a dramatic 4-1 penalty shootout victory over Egypt’s Al Masry at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, following a 2-2 aggregate draw.

This semi-final presents a historic opportunity for Simba to become only the second Tanzanian club to reach the final of the CAF Confederation Cup, following in the footsteps of arch-rivals Young Africans, who finished as runners-up last season after a 2-2 aggregate draw with USM Alger, losing the title on away goals.