Stars play Chad in crucial tie
Taifa Stars players train in N’Djamena before today’s encounter of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
Taifa Stars must look for the best results in the encounter in order to revive its campaign of qualifying in the 2017 finals in Gabon. Taifa Stars is now placed third with one point in group G. The team lost 3-0 against Egypt in the first match and later ended with barren draw against Nigeria’s Super Eagles at the National Stadium.
Dar es Salaam. The National soccer team, Taifa Stars, today play against Chad counterpart, “Sao” in the third match of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers at Idriss Mahamat Ouya Stadium in N’Djamena.
Taifa Stars must look for the best results in the encounter in order to revive its campaign of qualifying in the 2017 finals in Gabon. Taifa Stars is now placed third with one point in group G. The team lost 3-0 against Egypt in the first match and later ended with barren draw against Nigeria’s Super Eagles at the National Stadium.
Tanzania last qualified in the Afcon finals in 1980 and since then, the country is yet to play the continental championship again. The victory for Taifa Stars may lift up the team in the standing depending on the number of goals they will score. Egypt is at the top with six points while Nigeria is second with four points and Tanzania is third with one point respectively.
Taifa Stars players are optimistic of a win in the encounter despite the fact that they did not train intensively ahead of the match.
The team’s head coach, Charles Boniface Mkwasa said his players were in the right frame of mind heading into the match and declared the team to be ready to maul their Chadian counterparts.
“Everything is okay at the camp as every player is eager to face the African giant. They are simply in a great shape and I believe we will come out with smiling faces,” said Mkwasa.
Team captain Mbwana Samatta was confident that they would take the encounter seriously, promising the fans a victory.
Samatta said they were committed with the team victory in order to improve their chances in both standing and the Fifa ranking apart of qualifying in the next Afcon finals.
He said that they are taking the encounter seriously and call for all Tanzanians to give them moral support.
Apart of Samatta who play for Belgium KDC Genk, the team striking force will depend on the services of other strikers Thomas Ulimwengu of DR Congo’s TP Mazembe and John Bocco of Azam FC.
