Simba SC of Tanzania will take on Ghana’s Asante Kotoko in “Simba Day” friendly match and not AFC Leopards of Kenya as was earlier announced.
The warm-up that will headline a week long activities to mark this year’s Simba day will be staged at National Stadium, Dar Es Salaam.
Simba day, marked annually, is an opportunity for the club to engage its fans as they give back to the community.
Former Kenyan giants AFC Leopards were the first choice opponents for the day’s big event but, plans changed when Ingwe’s Argentine gaffer Rodolfo Zapata advised the club to send the youth team to the all-expenses paid trip.
Zapata in focusing on retaining their Sportpesa Shield and finishing at least in the second position in the Kenyan Premier League this season and will not want his team distracted.
“Our focus this season is to win the Shield Cup and challenge for the league. Our lowest target shall be the second position in the league.
I understand the importance of such tournaments and I have advised the NEC not to distract the boys from our target and for that reason, we asked to withdraw from the Simba SC invitational tournament.
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We had preferred to send the Cubs to the tournament but Simba declined,” Zapata said.
Leopards are currently 4th in KPL table standings on 39 points, 16 points off leaders Gor Mahia and one point off second placed Sofapaka.
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