It’s make-or-break for Stars at Cosafa Cup

Taifa Stars defender Shomari Kapombe (left) fights for the ball with Angola’s Antonio Justo during their Cosafa Castle Cup Group A match at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg on June 27, 2017. PHOTO | AGENCIES
What you need to know:
Stars, who compete at the southern Africa’s premier competition a guests, clash with hosts and defending champions South Africa in the quarterfinal showdown at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace.
Dar es Salaam. The national soccer team, Taifa Stars, will have to be at their best form today if they are to qualify for the semifinal stage of the 2017 Cosafa Castle Cup.
Stars, who compete at the southern Africa’s premier competition a guests, clash with hosts and defending champions South Africa in the quarterfinal showdown at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace.
The match will kick off at 6pm.
Tanzania earned the right to face Bafana Bafana after they topped Group A, which comprised Malawi, Angola and Mauritius.
For Stars, this is their sternest test at the competition. They also need a victory to snap their woeful record against the South Africans.
Stars head into the game with memories of draws and defeats, but caretaker Salum Mayanga is confident that the boys will defy the odds.
Speaking on the eve of the match, Mayanga exuded confidence that his boys have all it takes to humble South Africa for the first time in history.
“We finished our last training session with a good chat. The guys aren’t delusional to what is expected of them. They are genuinely excited and I have good feeling that Stars will pull off its first win over Bafana Bafana,” said the coach who replaced Charles Mkwasa early this year.
Stars sailed through to the quarterfinals on Thursday despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Mauritius in their final Group A match at Moruleng Stadium.
They tied on five points with Angola but went through the stage on goal difference advantage.
The Mayanga’s men had beaten Malawi in the opening match before drawing against Angola and Mauritius. Stars ended with a goal difference of plus two to plus one for three-time winners Angola, whose final game with Malawi ended goalless at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace.
Shiza Kichuya, who has scored two goals so far for Stars, was equally confident, stating that they were in a history making mission.
“Well, our record against South Africa is not impressive, but judging by what I see at the camp, Stars have the capacity to stun them despite their home advantage,” said the Simba forward.
He added: “We are in a history making mission. We want to win the tournament besides ending our long winless run against South Africa.”
Apart from Kichuya, Stars will rely on the like of Thomas Ulimwengu, Simon Msuva and Elias Maguli to unlock the Bafana Bafana defence.
Victory for Tanzania against South Africa will see them face the winners of the Botswana versus Zambia clash on Wednesday.