Simba delight as Fadlu Davids makes history in Tanzania

One of South Africa’s proudest football coaching exports helped Simba beat Egyptian side Al Masry FC 5-3 on penalties after fighting back to a 2-2 aggregate draw in Dar Es Salaam earlier this week. 

The 22-time Tanzanian champions had only been to the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup and CAF Champions League before, but after a 32-year wait, Davids says this is for the Nguvu Moja fans.

"This one is for the fans – they came out in numbers, in bad weather, supported us when we didn't get good results, and without them pushing us for the entire 90 minutes, I don't think it would have been possible," said Davids.

"So this one is for the fans of Simba – they deserve it, after so many years, to go to the semi-finals and it's very important now for me to inform my players that celebrations have to be cut short because we haven't achieved anything yet.

"Let's focus on the semi-final and then hopefully, Inshallah, we can get to the final."

With Simba set to face Stellenbosch FC in the two-legged last four stage, speaking on Radio 2000’s Game On with Thabiso Mosia, the former Orlando Pirates assistant coach is happy there will be at least one South African coach in the final.

"I think a good thing for South African football that an African coach will be in the final, whether it's myself or coach Steve Barker, so for South African coaches it's a huge plus," he added.

"There are two European coaches in the Champions League [with Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns], but let's hope we can also have a Sundowns-Pirates final and we definitely will have a South African coach in the [Confed Cup] final."

READ: Fixture burden eased by Sundowns success - Miguel Cardoso