Two Simba SC stars named in 2022/23 CAF CL Team of the Week

26Apr 2023
Michael Mwebe
Sport
The Guardian
Two Simba SC stars named in 2022/23 CAF CL Team of the Week

TWO Simba SC players have made the 2022/23 CAF Champions League Team of the Week after their side's 1-0 quarterfinal first-leg victory over Moroccan giants, Wydad Athletic Club, at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Saturday.

Tanzania's Simba SC forward, Jean Baleke (2nd L), dribbles past Morocco's Raja Club Athletic players, midfielder Walid Sabbar (L), and defender Ismael Mokadem as the two outfits took on each other in a 2022/23 CAF Champions League Group C tie at Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca on March 31. Raja Club Athletic recorded a 3-1 win. PHOTO: COURTESY OF SIMBA SC

Congolese forward, Jean Baleke, scored the winner to take his tally to four goals in the competition and level Clatous Chama as the Tanzanian club’s leading goal scorer.

Baleke scored the winning goal on the half-hour mark when he did well to turn home a Dennis Kibu ball into the net.

Baleke and Chama are now only one goal behind Mamelodi Sundowns' attacker, Peter Shalulile, who scored a brace to take his tally to five goals in the competition, and Raja Athletic Club star, Hamza Khabba.

As a consequence, it hardly surprises that Baleke makes the premier continental club competition's Team of the Week.

Alongside him is his teammate and fellow Congolese Henock Inonga. Baleke, who joined Simba SC on a two-year loan deal from DR Congo's TP Mazembe in January, has now scored 12 goals in his last seven games including a hat-trick against Ihefu SC in this season's Azam Sports Federation Cup (ASFC) quarterfinals.

African record champions, Al Ahly, produced most of their players in the selection with four stars.

The Egyptian giants kept their chase for a record-extending 11th title alive with a 2-0 victory over Raja Club Athletic.

Mohamed Abdelmonem and Hamdi Fathi were on target in either half in Cairo to give their side an early advantage heading into next weekend’s return fixture in Casablanca.

Unsurprisingly, the goal scorers Abdelmonem and Fathi were joined by right-back Mohamed Hany and midfielder Marwan Attia in the Team of the Week.

Mamelodi Sundowns’ performance in the 4-1 demolition of CR Belouizdad in Algiers on Saturday was enough to earn them three players a place in a CAF Champions League team of the week.

Shalulile's excellent display saw him joined by teammates Aubrey Modiba, who assisted his first goal, and Teboho Mokoena in the Team of the Week.

Tunisia’s Esperance, who drew first blood against Algeria’s JS Kabylie, winning 1-0 away from home to earn a precious first-leg advantage, has two players in the squad.

Mohamed Ali Ben Hammouda, who notched the vital goal in the second half to give Taraji the slim advantage heading into next weekend’s corresponding fixture in Rades, was included alongside goalkeeper Moez ben Cherifia.

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