Tanzanite players ready for African Games in Ghana

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s national U-20 women’s football team (Tanzanites) will face Uganda in their opening match of the 13th edition of the African Games (formally All Africa Games) in Accra, Ghana.

The group A match has been scheduled to take place tomorrow at Cape Coast Stadium in Anwani at 2pm East African time. Group B teams are Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroon and Morocco.

Apart from Uganda, Tanzanite, who have been drawn in group A, will meet the hosts, Ghana on March 12 and their last match of the group stage will be against Ethiopia on March 15.

Top two teams in each group will qualify for the semifinals of the competition scheduled to take place on March 18.

Third-place and final matches will be held on March 21 at 2pm and at 6pm respectively East African time. 

Tanzanite head coach Bakari Shime said all his players are in good form ready for the competition, believing they will do their best.

Since Congo hosted the first edition of the African Games in 1965, the competition has grown into a bigger continental multi-sport fiesta.

The fixture shows that Nigeria will play against Morocco in the opening game while Ghana will take on Ethiopia in the first game of the following day.

Over the past years that it’s been running, it has become another symbol of Africa’s unique place in sports, particularly football.

Meanwhile, the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) has fielded four teams.

Apart from Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia, in the competition is South Sudan.

Uganda also have fielded the men’s team together with South Sudan. South Sudan and Uganda will kick start their campaigns against different opponents in the competition.

In the Group B matches, Uganda will take to the field first against tough Nigeria, while South Sudan will battle against Senegal at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Morley Byekwaso Ochama, the Uganda Kobs head coach, says his team is well prepared for the encounter.

“We do respect Nigeria, but we do not fear them,” added the former International.

The Nigerian coach said besides the well prepared team, they are also counting on the support of the Nigerians living in Ghana.

For South Sudan who make their first appearance at the African Games, their coach Bilal Felix has also made clear that they are in Ghana to play good football.

“This is our first time in these Games and we want to make names by playing well against some of these big teams,” added the coach.