Dream Stars debut for Kagera Sugar starlet
Taifa Stars midfielder Farid Mussa (right) makes his way past Burundi defender Harerimana Rashid during their international friendly match at the National Stadium yesterday. Stars won 1-0. PHOTO | SAID KHAMIS
What you need to know:
- It was Taifa Stars first win over the Intamba Les Hirondelles in nearly eight years. Stars last plundered a 3-2 triumph over Burundi in January 2009 when Brazilian Marcio Maximo was in charge.
- Stars caretaker Salum Mayanga was also all smiles after guiding the team to back-to-back wins in four days. They spanked Botswana 2-0 at the same facility on Saturday.
Dar es Salaam. Simon Msuva and Mbaraka Yusuf scored to hand the national team, Taifa Stars, a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Burundi in an exciting friendly match at the National Stadium yesterday.
It was Taifa Stars first win over the Intamba Les Hirondelles in nearly eight years. Stars last plundered a 3-2 triumph over Burundi in January 2009 when Brazilian Marcio Maximo was in charge.
Stars caretaker Salum Mayanga was also all smiles after guiding the team to back-to-back wins in four days. They spanked Botswana 2-0 at the same facility on Saturday.
Despite avenging two straight defeats, the only person who must live to remember yesterday’s match was Yusuf, the scorer of the second goal.
The fast-rising Kagera Sugar striker repaid his Mayanga’s faith in him after scoring a superb goal on his Taifa Stars debut.
“I am very happy to have made my national team debut in this fashion. I can’t express perfectly how I am feeling, but I will never forget this day,” said a visibly elated Yusuf.
Yusuf scored in the 77th minute after a spadework by Msuva. His first effort hit the sidebar, but he followed through the rebound to send thousands of fans into wild celebration.
The youngster rose through the ranks of Simba SC youth academy before decamping to the Bukoba based team for regular football.
Msuva, who missed several chances against Botswana, made amends to give Stars the lead in the 22nd minute from a ferocious strike after latching onto a loose ball in the Burundi box.
The visitors, however, looked slightly superior in the first half despite falling to the Msuva’s goal.
Stars employed a defensive game plan for much of the first half, thus allowing the Burundians, led by Simba striker Laudit Mavugo to shine.
Stars returned to the second half looking more energetic, but a defensive error by Abdi Banda in the 53rd minute gifted Burundi an equaliser that was coolly planted home by Mavugo.
Hererimana delivered a long pass, but Banda, one of the best young defenders in the country at the moment, could not make a quick clearance to deny his Simba teammate.
Burundi retook control of the midfield where Mzamiru Yasin lost possession of the ball frequently.
As the visitors threatened to take the lead, Stars caretaker Mayanja called off Salum Abubakari for Said Ndemla while Mzamiru was replaced by Jonas Mkude and Farid Mussa went to the bench for Yusuf.
The substitutions changed the pace of the match and it took a few minutes before Stars celebrated what proved to be the winning goal in the 77th minute.
