Simba had carried a narrow 1-0 advantage into the semifinal second leg after their hard-fought win on April 20 at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar, courtesy of Jean Charles Ahoua’s first-half strike.

 A draw or a win was enough to send the Tanzanian giants to their first Confederation Cup final since 1993, ending a 32-year wait. Stellenbosch had earlier made headlines in the quarter-finals by stunning Egyptian giants Zamalek 1-0 in Cairo after a goalless first leg at home, marking one of the biggest victories in the club’s young history.

The South Africans started brightly, relying heavily on long throw-ins. In the 4th minute, a throw-in from Basadien was punched away by Simba goalkeeper Moussa Camara.
 
 Simba responded with an attack in the 11th minute, when Kibu Denis appeared to be brought down in the box by defender Butsaka. Referee Mohamed Maarouf from Egypt initially awarded a penalty, but after a VAR review, reversed his decision, ruling no foul.

Stellenbosch pressed forward, with Titus’s cross in the 22nd minute and another Basadien throw-in in the 26th minute both cleared by Simba’s defense.
 Lekoloane attempted a shot from the edge of the box in the 35th minute, but it was easily handled by Camara.

Simba had a serious opportunity just before halftime when a Jean Ahoua’s freekick following a foul on Kibu Denis was blocked by Stellenbosch goalkeeper Masuluke.

The second half saw Stellenbosch continue their aerial bombardment. A 55th-minute incident involving defender Chamou Karaboue appeared to result in a handball penalty, but VAR again overturned the decision.

Simba looked dangerous in attack, notably when substitute Leonel Ateba failed to connect with Kibu’s cross in the 68th minute, and Elie Mpanzu’s powerful shot in the 73rd minute was parried away by Masuluke.

Stellenbosch thought they had broken the deadlock in the 78th minute when substitute Palace scored from a Titus cross. However, VAR ruled the goal out for offside, as De Jong was caught ahead of the defenders during the build-up.

Stellenbosch continued to press in the dying minutes, with Barnes' shot hitting the side netting and a long-range effort from Titus saved by Camara. Despite the relentless pressure, Simba’s tactical discipline and game management prevailed. They used smart fouls, controlled the tempo, and stayed compact defensively, frustrating Stellenbosch’s efforts.

Ahead of the match, Stellenbosch head coach Steve Barker had warned: “A lot of people didn’t believe we could get past Zamalek, and maybe some still believe we can’t make the final, but any team that underestimates us does so at their own peril.” However, Simba proved too resilient, showing maturity and composure to see out the match.

Simba will now face either Algeria’s CS Constantine or Morocco’s RS Berkane in the two-legged final, scheduled for May 17 and May 25. The Tanzanian side will host the decisive second leg on May 25.

Stellenbosch FC Starting Line-up:
 Masuluke, Toure, Moloisane, Basadien, Enyinnaya, Nduli, Khiba, Butsaka, De Jong, Titus, Lekoloane.

Simba SC Starting Line-up:
 Moussa Camara, Shomari Kapombe, Mohamed Hussein, Chamou Kabaroue, Abdulrazack Hamza, Yusuph Kagoma, Fabrice Ngoma, Jean Charles Ahoua, Kibu Denis, Steven Mukwala, Elie Mpanzu.