The Moroccan outfit went into the return leg final carrying a 2-0 advantage from the first leg at Berkane Municipal Stadium, but it was the Tanzanian side that took the lead in the 17th minute through Joshua Mutale.
However, with Simba pressing for the second goal to take the game to extra-time, Sidibe, who had just come on, scored to level matters and help Berkane win the two-legged affair 3-1 on aggregate.
Simba coach Fadlu Davids retained Malian goalkeeper Moussa Camara between the posts while trusting a four-man defence line led by Shomari Kapombe, Che Malone, Chamou Karaboue and captain Mohamed Mohamed.
The midfield revolved around Yusuph Kagoma, Fabrice Ngoma and Jean Charles Ahoua, while Elie Mpanzu played behind strikers Steven Mukwala and Joshua Mutale.
For Berkane, coach Moine Chaabani started Munir Mohamedi, and he was shielded by a four-man defence line led by Hamza El Moussaoui, Adil Tahif, Burkinabe star Issoufou Dayo, and Abdelhak Assal.
Mamadou Camara led the midfield, assisted by Imad Riahi, who played from the right wing, Yassine Labhiri, Ayoub Khairi and Youssef Mehri, with Oussama Lamlaoui starting as a lone striker.
Looking to erase the 2-0 defeat suffered from the first leg final at Berkane Municipal Stadium a fortnight ago, and cheered on by a sold-out crowd, Simba started the game the strongest side, pinning the North Africans into their own half in the opening exchanges.
Simba coach Davids was booked early in the game for arguing with the second assistant referee. Having conceded two goals in the first 20 minutes during the first leg, Simba knew that early goals would help them to come back into the tie, and their pressure paid off in the 17th minute when Mutale slotted home after being teed up by Mpanzu.
The goal sparked Simba into life, and they continued to raid Berkane, and should have doubled their lead in the 22nd minute when Mpanzu cut in from the right wing and set up the advancing Mukwala through on goal.
However, the Ugandan striker could not apply the final touch as defender El Moussaoui reacted quickly to clear the ball out for a corner kick.
Simba defender Kapombe became the first player to be booked in the 36th minute when his reckless tackle on Youssef Mehri prompted Gabonese referee Pierre Ghislain Atcho to flash out a yellow card.
Six minutes later, Berkane saw defender Ayoub Khairi also booked for a foul on Mpanzu and giving away a free-kick in the process. From the free-kick, Jean Charles Ahoua delivered a clever chip, but Mukwala’s header went inches wide.
Berkane’s best chance of the game came in the 42nd minute when Oussama Lamlaoui was put through by Yassine Labhiri and after evading his markers, he decided to go for goal, but Simba custodian Camara produced a top class save to keep the scores at 1-0 in their favour heading into the half-time break.
At the start of the second period, Simba missed another scoring opportunity. Mpanzu did well to weave past two Berkane players and the DR Congo spotted Fabrice Ngoma unmarked, he laid a neat pass to the player, but his rasping effort hit the upright of the woodwork before bouncing out for a goal-kick. That should have been goal number two for the Msimbazi Reds.
However, Simba were dealt a huge blow in the 50th minute when Yusuph Kagoma was sent off following a foul on Imad Riahi. The red card stunned Simba’s technical bench, with coach Davids being forced to reorganise his squad, with Ahoua moved back to help the defenders.
Berkane’s Imad Riahi was then shown a yellow card for time wasting in the 59th minute before coach Chaabani decided to withdraw him immediately, fearing he could also be sent off for a second bookable offence and, instead, brought in Paul Bassene.
Despite playing a man less, Simba missed another chance when Ahoua failed to tap in a low cross from Mukwala, who had done the spadework from the middle of the field. Ahoua was all alone in the dangerous area, but his legs could not reach the cross.
Khairi, another player, who was also on a yellow card, was substituted for Mohamed El Mourabit in the 68th minute as Berkane resorted to playing a defensive game, and trying to cut off Simba players from possessing the ball.
Simba’s first substitution of the game came in the 71st minute after goal scorer Mutale was rested for Kibu Denis in a bid to try and unlock Berkane’s defensive style of play. And immediately after the change, Simba thought they had scored the second, Ahoua setting up Mukwala to slot past Munir Mohamedi, but it was ruled out for offside.
With time running out, Davids made a double substitution, Valentin Nouma and Leonel Ateba coming in for captain Hussein and Malone, while Berkane introduced Soumaila Sidibe, Youssef Zghoudi for Lamlioui and Lamine Camara. A minute after coming on, Sidibe scored the leveller to end Simba’s dream of laying their hands on the trophy. Berkane had won the inter-club competition in 2020 and 2022, and this was their fourth final in six years.