Singida Fountain Gate coach Thabo Senong is angling for cup glory in Tanzania ahead of the club’s crucial semi-final clash against league giants Simba SC in the Mapinduzi Cup.
The two sides recently met in the group stage, with Simba claiming a 2-0 victory.
Senong was recently given the reins at the Tanzania club following the departure of Brazilian Ricardo Ferreira. The Brazilian had replaced Ernst Middendorp, who came with Senong as his assistant.
To reach the semi-final, Singida beat the log leaders of Rwanda APR and Tanzania’s cash-rich Azam FC. Azam currently tops the standings in the East African country’s top-flight.
In an interview with FARPost, Senong acknowledged the challenge but expressed confidence in his team. “It’s going to be a tough one because we just lost to Simba in the group stage. But we trained hard to prepare, and the mood in the camp is positive,” said Senong.
Senong Sets Sights on Cup Trophy for Singida
“We have a plan for the boys, and we’re going into this game as underdogs. We know Simba is a difficult team to play against, but anything is possible in football if we stick to our plan and minimise our mistakes.”
Senong emphasised the importance of discipline and focus against a side with Simba’s firepower.
“You can’t afford to make many mistakes against a quality team like Simba. But we’re looking forward to this challenge. We enjoy applying our tactical principles, and if we do that well, anything is possible.”
Reaching the final would be a dream come true for the Singida side, but Senong knows they must take it one game at a time. “It would be a dream to reach the final, but we still have a very tough 90 minutes ahead of us,” added the former SA junior international coach.
“We’re not putting any pressure on the boys. We’re just taking it one step at a time and focusing on executing our plan. We’re prepared for a battle, and anything is possible on the day.”
Singida Fountain Gate and Simba SC are set to clash on Wednesday at 20h15 at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar. The winner will secure a spot in the Tanzanian Cup final.
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