"It Was Simply Mind Games": Simba SC Coach Explains Pre-Game 'Muthi' Ritual Against Orlando Pirates

• Simba SC coach Pablo Franco Martin spoke about the team's pre-match ritual ahead of the second leg of the CAF Confederations Cup quarterfinal against Orlando Pirates
• The Tanzanian side's players were seen dancing around a burning unidentified object on the centre circle before the match believed to be 'muthi' or 'juju'
• A frank Martin, claiming that he did not witness or know about this, said it was typical mind games on the African continent

Simba SC coach Pablo Franco Martin was forthright about his team's ritual before the match against Orlando Pirates in Soweto last Sunday.

Players huddled around an object on the centre circle at Orlando Stadium, dancing, chanting and singing. To all those in attendance and at home, this was undeniably the practice of witchcraft, particularly muthi or juju.

Martin said that he was unaware of it as he had returned to the changeroom, but did not dodge the question, instead saying that this was par-for-the-course in African football.

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Saying that this was an attempt to psyche out the Buccaneers, he told iDiskiTimes:

"I think those things happen in all [of] Africa. This juju, this superstition, it's not anything different than that. I also can talk about the holes in the penalty spots or in the corners, part of the field that you cannot use the day before.

"Here [in Africa] many of you are playing these mind games. This is something from where I'm coming from [Spain], it's impossible to see. I'm not going to say that I like it, but to be honest, to burn something I think it's not going to help anyone. It's just a matter of superstition."

Regardless, there was no divine intervention for the visitors as Pirates defeated them 4-3 on penalties after the tie ended 1-1 over both legs.

Simba SC players seen in photos and video allegedly burning muthi before Orlando Pirates match

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The second leg of the CAF Confederations Cup quarterfinal between Orlando Pirates and Simba SC was expected to produce drama, but the shenanigans began before that.

As reported by Sports Brief, during the warm-ups, Simba players were seen huddled around the circle, dancing rhythmically.

This wouldn't be out of the ordinary, but for a small plume of smoke rising out of this tight circle of players.