Stars face a tall order in decider against Cranes
Tanzania’s national football team (Taifa Stars) during a recent training session at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. Taifa Stars today face Uganda’s The Cranes in the second leg of the Champions of African Nations at the St Mary’s Kitende Stadium in Entebbe, Uganda. The match will kick-off at 4pm. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- The match will be officiated by Djibouti referees as Souleiman Ahmed Djama will be the centre referee
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s national football team, Taifa Stars, today face Uganda’s The Cranes in the return leg of the Champions of African Nations (CHAN).
The encounter, which has been scheduled to kick-off at 4pm at the St Mary’s Kitende Stadium in Entebbe, Uganda, is expected to be thrilling as both sides have prepared well.
The match will be officiated by Djibouti referees as Souleiman Ahmed Djama will be in the centre and assisted by Liban Abdourazak Ahmed and Rashid Wass Boulareh as first and second referees respectively.
Tuccu Guish Ghrbremedhin from Eritrea will be the match commissioner, Hudu Munyemana will be referees’ assessor while Apollo Bugingo Ahimbisibwe is the Covid-19 officer.
The match is expected to be the most thrilling one due to the preparations each team have undergone. As Uganda need only a draw to qualify for the CHAN finals next year, Taifa Stars target at least a 1-0 victory to take the encounter into penalties or win 2-0 and above to qualify for the Algeria finals early next year.
Taifa Stars head coach Honor Janza said they are expecting to turn the 1-0 result of the first leg and outshine the Ugandans at their home venue.
The Zambian tactician, who has replaced Danish Kim Poulsen, said they have prepared for the encounter and good enough all his players are in high morale and ready to show their commitment in the encounter.
“They won 1-0 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, it is possible also for Taifa Stars to win in away. In football, nothing is impossible and I call upon all football lovers to travel to Uganda and support the team,” said Janza. He promised that Taifa Stars would put up a great performance against the Ugandans, who also target victory in order to qualify for the finals.
Uganda’s head coach Milutin Sredojević alias Micho said they are ready for the encounter and do not underestimate Tanzania following their 1-0 win in the first leg.
“We have just put one leg in the CHAN finals and we need to complete the task in the return leg. It is going to be a tough match, but we promise that we will not let our fans down in the encounter,” said Micho.
