You can do it, minister tells Tanzania’s envoys
Young Africans striker Fiston Mayele (left) vies for the ball with an Al Hilal Omdurman player during their CAF Champions League first round, first leg match at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Saturday. The match ended in a 1-1 draw. PHOTO| COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Four Tanzanian teams are facing an uphill task to qualify for the next stage of the continental club competitions
Dar es Salaam. Culture, Arts, and Sports minister Mohamed Mchengerwa has challenged Tanzania’s envoys in the continental club championships to fight hard and qualify for the next stage of the competitions.
The minister made the comment during a special occasion to congratulate the Tanzania national amputee football team (Tembo Warriors) on being placed seventh in the world rankings. So far four Tanzanian teams are facing an uphill task to qualify for the next stage of the continental club championships with Tanzania Mainland champions Yanga and Azam having registered unconvincing results. Yanga were held to a 1-1 draw by Al Hilal Omdurman of Sudan in their CAF Champions League first round, first leg in Dar es Salaam last Saturday. Their return leg will take place on Sunday in Khartoum. Yanga must either beat Al Hilal Omdurman or hold them to a draw of at least two goals apiece to book a place in the group stage. The Sudanese club only need a goalless draw to go through, courtesy of the away goal they scored in Dar es Salaam. Azam FC are left with a mountain to climb after Al Akhdar of Libya crushed them 3-0 in the Confederation Cup match held last Saturday in Benghazi, Libya.
Azam FC must beat Al Akhdar by at least four clear goals to advance to the next stage when they clash on Sunday at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam. Kipanga FC of Zanzibar played to a goalless draw against visiting Club Africain of Tunisia in the Confederation Cup fixture at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar. A 1-1 draw in their return leg on Sunday will be enough for Kipanga to sail through.
While congratulating Simba on their 3-1 away victory against Angola’s Primeiro de Agosto in the CAF Champions League first round clash, Mchengerwa said the players will have to fight hard in their return leg so that they can make the country proud.
“I commend Simba for the victory in their away match and other teams have to fight hard and make it to the next round, querying why other teams are capable of winning and why other teams are failing to do that.
There is still a chance for them to do well, but the only thing they can do is to fight hard and win,” said Mchangerwa, directing the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) to support the clubs in their return legs in order to sail through.
