Why Tanzania face must-win duel against Uganda in Afcon

Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania National Football Team, also known as Taifa Stars, are on the brink of elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) unless they secure a victory over Uganda in their next match.

With hopes of progressing to the knockout stage on the line, this game is a must-win for Tanzania as they continue their campaign in Group C.

The match against Uganda will take place tomorrow at the Al Medina Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, with kick-off scheduled for 8:30pm East Africa Time.

This game is pivotal for the Taifa Stars’ qualification chances, and there is no room for error. After their opening match defeat against Nigeria, which ended 2-1, Tanzania needs a win against Uganda to revive their hopes of progressing beyond the group stage.

Their final group match will come on December 30, when they face Tunisia at the Rabat Olympic Stadium at 7pm East Africa Time.

In Group C, Tanzania has a tough road ahead, with Tunisia and Nigeria both tied at the top with three points each, though separated only by goal difference.

Tunisia enjoys a +2 goal difference, while Nigeria sits at +1. Tanzania, meanwhile, are third in the group without a point, and Uganda currently sit at the bottom. The pressure is mounting for both teams, as only the top two from each group automatically qualify for the knockout stage.

Despite the defeat to Nigeria, Tanzania’s hopes are still very much alive, thanks to the Afcon format, which also allows the top four third-placed teams across all groups to advance. At present, Tanzania sits second in the third-place standings, with a goal difference of -1, level with Angola and Equatorial Guinea, but behind Zambia, who have collected one point.

This means the battle for qualification as one of the best third-place teams remains wide open.

If the Taifa Stars win their remaining matches, they can still secure a spot in the knockout round, either by finishing in the top two of the group or by being one of the best third-place teams.

M’Mombwa calls

Taifa Stars' attacking midfielder, Charles M’Mombwa, is optimistic about the team’s chances, despite the disappointing start to the tournament. M’Mombwa, who scored Tanzania’s only goal in the 2-1 loss to Nigeria, believes that the team can still reach the knockout stage if they improve their performance in the upcoming fixtures.

Speaking about the Nigeria game, M’Mombwa expressed confidence that the team had shown resilience and determination, especially in the second half, which should serve as motivation for the remaining games. “The chance to qualify is still there,” said M’Mombwa. “What we need is to win the remaining two matches. We know the games will not be easy, but we must fight hard.

 Against Nigeria, we played well against world-class players, and that should give us confidence. In the next two matches, we must show even more.”

While acknowledging the competitive nature of Group C, with each team capable of causing problems, M’Mombwa emphasized that Tanzania’s performance against Nigeria had demonstrated their potential to compete at the highest level. 

The second half against Nigeria showed flashes of brilliance, and if the team can build on this, they will have a good chance of beating both Uganda and Tunisia.

Looking ahead to the Uganda match, M’Mombwa made it clear that the team’s immediate focus must be on securing three points.

“We have to take it one game at a time. Uganda is a tough opponent, but if we play with confidence and unity, we can get the result we need,” he said.