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Taifa Stars eliminated from Chan

Uganda Cranes defender Wadad Nicholaus (left) and Taifa Stars striker Mrisho Ngassa keen on the ball as each one of them ponders how to win it over at Namboole Stadium in Kampala yesterday. The neighbouring national soccer teams met for their second-leg of Chan qualifier match, which saw the Craines cruising to the next stage after winning 3-1. PHOTO | CITIZEN REPORTER

 

What you need to know:

  • The Cranes forced a corner kick in the first minute, but the Taifa Stars defence under Tanzania Mainland best player, Kelvin Yondani, cleared all dangerous balls.

Kampala. Tanzania national soccer team, Taifa Stars, yesterday failed to fulfil the dream of qualifying for the second time for the Champions of African Nations (Chan) finals after they lost 3-1 (4-1 on aggregate) to their Ugandan counterparts, the Cranes, at Namboole Stadium.

Taifa Stars qualified for Chan finals in 2009 under Brazilian technician, Marcio Maximo, after beating Kenya’s Harambee Stars.

Yesterday’s results disappointed many soccer fans in the country following poor performance of the team since they lost to Morocco and Cote d’Ivoire in the 2014 Brazil World Cup qualifiers.

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The elimination means Taifa Stars will not have international competition assignments till the Senior East and Central Africa Challenge Cup at the end of this year. The team will also play Gambia in September.

Ugandans dominated from the start of the encounter, giving the Stars defence a hard time. They used their wingers, Iguma Denis and Majwega Brian, to reach Taifa Stars goal.

The Cranes forced a corner kick in the first minute, but the Taifa Stars defence under Tanzania Mainland best player, Kelvin Yondani, cleared all dangerous balls.

Ugandans managed to secure another corner in the fifth minute, but Kyeyune Said failed to convert it. After a series of attacks, the Cranes opened the score sheet in the seventh minute through Kalanda Frank following a good pass from Mpande Joseph.

Stars woke-up four minutes later, but Aggrey Morris squandered a clear chance after his header hit the cross bar.

Taifa Stars equalised in the 17th minute through Amri Kiemba after a tremendous job by Mrisho Ngassa from the left flank.

Taifa Stars skipper, Juma Kaseja, made a superb save in the 26th minute after blocking a cracker from Mpande Joseph. Five minutes later, Ngassa hit the bar from 35 metres.

Uganda celebrated the second goal in the 47th minute through a penalty well converted by Brian Majwega after David Luhende handed the ball in attempt to clear it, and in the 62nd minute, Uganda scored the third through Kalanda Frank following mistakes by Salum Abubakary.

Line ups:

Uganda: The Cranes: Muwonge Hamza, Wasswa Hassan, Wadad Nicholaus, Kabugo Savio, Kasaga Richard, Iguma Denis, Kyeyune Said/Ntege Ivan, Mpande Joseph, Kalanda Frank,Majwega Brian

Taifa Stars: Juma Kaseja, Erasto Nyoni, David Luhende, Aggrey Morris, Kelvin Yondani, Athumani Idd, Frank Domayo/Simon Msuva, Salum Abubakari, John Bocco/Haruna Chanongo Amri Kiemba, Mrisho Ngassa.

In the headlines