Simba SC are on the verge of making club history in the CAF Confederation Cup, and much of the optimism centers on the form of Ugandan striker Steven Mukwala.
Simba have never advanced past the quarter-finals in this competition – a stage that’s been their jinx – but Mukwala’s heroics are changing the narrative.
He scored in Simba’s 2-0 second-leg victory over Egypt’s Al Masry, a result that overturned a first-leg deficit and sent the Tanzanian side through to the semi-finals.
Buoyed by that breakthrough, Mukwala stated that reaching the final would write him “into the legendary books” of Simba SC.
In the semis, Simba seized a 1-0 first-leg advantage over South Africa’s Stellenbosch – a match played on neutral ground in Zanzibar – with Mukwala instrumental in the build-up that led to the goal.
Club captain Mohammed Hussein has urged the squad to stay focused, noting that all four semi-finalists are top-caliber: “No one is easy to beat at this level… every win counts. We’ve put one leg in the final, but we must finish the job.”.
Simba’s faithful are hopeful that Mukwala, already a fan favorite for his clutch performances, can indeed inspire the team to overcome their quarter-final curse – and perhaps even go all the way to lift their first continental trophy.
