African reality check for Simba in Champions' League

Officials of the Dar es Salaam club have ambitiously targeted a semi-finals place and the team made a promising start to Group A by defeating more experienced Vita Club in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

But record nine-time champions Ahly are the benchmark by which every African club is judged, and the Mohamed el Shenawy-captained Red Devils are seeking revenge for a 2019 loss to Simba in Tanzania.

An Ahly team coached by South African Pitso Mosimane are buoyant after finishing third at the Club World Cup in Qatar and outplaying Al Merrikh of Sudan in their first group outing.

However, they travelled to Tanzania without Ali Maaloul, Taher Mohamed, Walid Soliman and Salah Mohsen, all injured, and suspended el Shahat.

France-born Simba coach Didier Gomes da Rosa is hopeful of causing an upset, telling reporters that "our target is to win and build on what we achieved in Kinshasa".