Simba SC coach Fadlu Davids is looking to settle an old score as his side prepares to face RS Berkane in the CAF Confederation Cup final next month.
The South African coach, who was part of the Orlando Pirates technical team during the 2021/22 season, still feels the sting of the Pirates’ penalty shootout loss to Berkane in the final.
Davids served as co-coach alongside Mandla Ncikazi when Pirates suffered the heartbreak of losing to Berkane in a dramatic final in Nigeria. Now, as Simba SC enters their first CAF Confederation Cup final since 1993, Davids sees the two-legged encounter with Berkane as a chance for redemption.
“I just received a message from an important figure at Orlando Pirates, reminding me that it was Berkane who beat us on penalties,” Davids said, reflecting on the emotional memory of that final.
“That match still haunts me. We beat Simba in the quarter-finals, then triumphed over Al Ahli Tripoli in the semi-finals. But against Berkane, we lost on penalties. It’s a loss that still sticks with me.”
Simba progressed to this year’s final after securing a 1-0 aggregate victory over Stellenbosch FC, with a narrow 1-0 win in the first leg and a resilient performance in the return leg. Berkane, on the other hand, comfortably defeated CS Constantine to reach their second consecutive CAF final.
Simba’s 2024/25 final appearance marks the club’s first since they lost to Ivory Coast’s Stella Adjamé in 1993. With a revamped squad and a new coach, Davids has led them to an impressive run, but he is fully aware of the challenge Berkane will pose.
“Berkane is a stronger team now. I faced their coach, Moïne Chaâbani, last season with Raja Casablanca, and we managed to go unbeaten in the league. But this will be a different challenge,” Davids added.
Simba are currently second in the Tanzanian Premier League with 57 points from 22 games, trailing Young Africans by 13 points but with four games in hand. However, their focus is firmly set on the Confederation Cup final, as they aim to make history by lifting their first continental trophy.
As Davids prepares for the showdown with Berkane, the 2021/22 loss to the Moroccan side remains a key motivator for him and his players.
“We’ve come a long way, and now we’re ready to take the next step. We’re focused on one match at a time, but there’s definitely a chance for us to make up for the past,” he added.