FOLLOWING Simba SC's exit in the 2023/24 CAF Champions League quarterfinals, the club's head coach Abdelhak Benchikha has lamented missed opportunities and lack of experience in decisive games as a reason for the squad's elimination.

The Msimbazi Street outfit suffered a 3-0 aggregate defeat to Egyptian football giant, Al Ahly, losing 2-0 in the rematch which took place at Cairo International Stadium in Egypt on Friday night.

In the last eight's first leg match involving the two outfits, which took place at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam last week, the Tanzanian club succumbed to a 1-0 upset.

The Egyptian giants reached the premier continental tournament's last four thanks to goals by Omar El-Sulaya and Mahmoud Kahraba in the return tie at Cairo International Stadium.

Al Ahly will now face the winner of the last-eight match between TP Mazembe and Petro de Luanda in the semi-finals of the competition, as they seek to retain the title.

Simba SC has now failed to advance to four consecutive CAF Champions League semi-finals, as Benchikha pointed out they are heading back to the drawing board to reorganize for the remaining domestic league fixtures.

The Algerian noted: "I am so disappointed that we have let our fans down, we had opportunities to march on by converting our chances but we failed to convert them, we played well tactically and controlled the game statistically but the end product was not there."

"Al Ahly had few chances and they made good use of them, that is where the difference and experience at this stage come into existence."

"We did all we could but here is where our fate is, we have to focus on our next matches especially the FA Cup this week," Benchikha said.

Speaking on behalf of his fellow players, Simba SC center-back Che Malone Fondoh has said that they took their exit as a learning process after bowing out to the defending champions.

The Cameroonian center-back disclosed: "This is football, we learn from our mistakes we have to match on and focus on our upcoming games, this is the only way and positivity is needed, we have domestic competitions to fight for, we can't promise our fans anything rather than dedication to our games."

"Al Ahly is an experienced side, we need to keep moving and make every opportunity count in the upcoming fixtures, next season will be much better as we keep on getting used to the quarterfinals," Malone noted.