LUANDA, Feb. 9 -- SIMBA SC produced a gritty, disciplined second-half display to secure a 1-1 draw against Atlético Petróleos de Luanda on Saturday, a result sparked by the tactical interventions of head coach Steve Barker.

Down a man and trailing away from home, the “Msimbazi Reds” looked to be facing a grim exit.

However, the second-half resurgence ensured Simba protected their continental pride and avoided a group stage “double” at the hands of the Angolan giants.

Simbas left-back Antony Mligo credited Barkers locker-room talk for shifting the momentum.

Despite the adversity of the first half, Barker identified structural weaknesses in the Petro de Luanda defence that Simba could exploit through in...