Twiga Stars boot Ivorians out of Afcon, Samia rewards players

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s national women’s football team, Twiga Stars, have qualified for the next round of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) after eliminating Cote d’Ivoire in a 4-2 penalty shootout.

Twiga Stars won 2-0 to level aggregates. In the first leg, Tanzania tumbled to a 2-0  loss in Abidjan.

The Tanzanian girls goals were scored by Donisia Minja and Oppah Clement in regulation time. Twiga Stars penalties were scored by Ester Mabanza, Anastasia Katunzi, Donisia Minja, and Oppah Clement, while Enekia Kasonga missed her penalty.

Twiga Stars will now face the winner between Togo and Djibouti in December. In the first match, Togo won 7-0 away.

Following the victory, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has awarded Twiga Stars players and officials Sh10 million.

Meanwhile, Tanzania and the other two East African countries, Kenya and Uganda, today will learn their fate of hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals.

The EAC Pamoja bid is up against Egypt, hosts of the 2019 tournament; Algeria, who held the 2023 CHAN tournament; Nigeria and Benin; as well as Botswana, making it a tough race.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) president, Patrice Motsepe, will make an announcement after the executive meeting in Cairo.

The three countries submitted a joint bid, christened ‘EAC Pamoja Bid’, to host the continental tournament.

Speaking with The Citizen from Cairo, Egypt, yesterday, minister for Culture, Arts, and Sports Damas Ndumbaro said the decision is expected to be announced at 1pm by Motsepe.

Ndumbaro said all sports ministers from Kenya and Uganda, as well as national sports council officials and top football governing body leaders, are in Cairo to strengthen the EAC Pamoja Bid.