Tanzania qualifies for Afcon for the third time in history
What you need to know:
- It is a momentous experience for Tanzanians as they wait to see how their team will perform in the Afcon finals to be staged next year in Ivory Coast.
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania has qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), which will be played in Ivory Coast.
The game played at 19 May 1956 Stadium in Annaba on Thursday night saw the country’s envoys make a record of qualifying for the finals for the third time.
The men's national football team, the Taifa Stars, secured a one-way ticket to the continental championships after holding the Desert Foxes, Algeria, to a goalless draw.
Despite dominating possession and carving out several chances, Algeria were unable to break down their stubborn opponents.
Tanzania also posed an occasional threat on the counter-attack to keep the Desert Foxes honest throughout.
The result leaves Algeria manager Djamel Belmadi disappointed after his side's winning run was ended.
But for Tanzania, this hard-fought draw will feel like a triumph after defying the odds to achieve their target.
Taifa Stars, who were placed second in group F needed a point (draw) or three points (win) in order to qualify for the Ivory Coast finals. The one point took Taifa Star's tally to 8 points, helping them finish behind log leaders Algeria.
Uganda and Niger have exited the competition despite the Ugandan Cranes emerging victorious over Niger with a 2-0 triumph.
This will be only the third time in history that Tanzania has made it to the Afcon finals after achieving that feat in 1980 in Lagos, Nigeria, and later in 2019 during the finals held in Cairo, Egypt.
On the other hand, after the game, President Samia Suluhu Hassan congratulated Stars for qualifying for Afcon 2023.
The Head of State took to social media to congratulate the Stars, saying players have written history and wishing them all the best.
"You have written the history... This is our third time qualifying since the establishment of this tournament. I wish you all the best," she posted.
It is a momentous experience for Tanzanians as they wait to see how their team will perform in the Afcon finals to be staged next year in Ivory Coast.
