Daijiworld Media Network – Zanzibar

Zanzibar, May 24: The much-anticipated second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final between Simba of Tanzania and Renaissance Berkane of Morocco has been marred by a bitter venue dispute, overshadowing the match held Sunday on the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar.

Simba, trailing 2-0 from last weekend’s first leg, had hoped to host the return match at the 60,000-seat Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s commercial capital. However, a Confederation of African Football (CAF) inspection ruled the stadium unsuitable for the final due to its poor pitch conditions. Consequently, CAF ordered the second leg to be played at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar, a much smaller 15,000-seater located three hours by ferry from Dar es Salaam.

Zanzibar, known as a popular tourist destination, is an archipelago off East Africa’s coast comprising two main islands and numerous smaller ones.

The venue controversy stems from Benjamin Mkapa Stadium’s deteriorated pitch, which had already caused Simba to relocate their semi-final match against South Africa’s Stellenbosch to Zanzibar. Simba’s owner, Mo Dewji, had personally appealed to CAF president Patrice Motsepe to reconsider, but CAF reaffirmed its decision to keep the final’s second leg in Zanzibar.

Dewji expressed disappointment, stating, "It does not feel fair… We will go to Zanzibar not by choice, but by duty." He urged the Simba players to “play with courage, clarity and composure,” emphasizing that although the venue changed, their mission remained unchanged.

The visiting Moroccan team, Renaissance Berkane, endured a difficult arrival marred by passport control delays and criticized the organization and facilities, describing them as "chaotic, unacceptable and unworthy of a continental competition of this level." Berkane also lamented the absence of formal welcomes and logistical support from Simba.

On the field, Berkane took an early two-goal lead with strikes by Senegalese Mamadou Camara and Oussama Lamlioui — the competition’s joint top scorer — within the first 14 minutes. coach Mouin Chaabani, aiming for his ninth club title across North Africa, noted the advantage of scoring away goals, which would force Simba to score at least four to overcome the aggregate deficit.

Simba’s South Africa-born coach, Fadlu Davids, acknowledged the challenge posed by playing away from their home stadium and without the support of 45,000 fans. He admitted the team was mentally unprepared in Morocco but expressed optimism about a better performance in Zanzibar.

The CAF Confederation Cup, Africa’s equivalent of the UEFA Europa League, awards the winners $2 million and the runners-up $1 million. With the controversy and high stakes, both teams face intense pressure as the tournament reaches its climax.