Chabruma thrilled with Serengeti Girls’ positive start

DAR ES SALAAM: SERENGETI Girls Assistant Coach Esther Chabruma hailed her players for remaining patient and disciplined after Tanzania opened their CECAFA U-17 campaign with a 4-0 victory over Somalia at the KMC Complex in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

Goals from Yasinta Kaliwa, Bahati Kizaguzi, who scored twice, and Fatuma Shagembe handed Tanzania a positive start in the regional tournament that kicked off on Saturday.

Chabruma said her side faced a difficult challenge against opponents who focused on defensive play and limiting space in their own half.

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“This first match was good because we faced opponents who came with a defensive approach. For us, it was a challenge because people may think it is easy to get results, but it was not simple,” said Chabruma.

She added that her players had to remain patient and use their understanding of the game to break down Somalia’s defence.

“When you face a team that stays deep in defence, you must use your mind well to create openings. I congratulate the players because they did a good job against such a team,” she said.

Chabruma added that she was satisfied with both the result and the team’s overall performance as Tanzania began the Group A campaign with victory.

The tournament features eight teams divided into two groups. Tanzania are in Group A alongside Somalia, Kenya and Sudan, while Group B consists of Uganda, South Sudan, Djibouti and Zanzibar.

Kenya moved to the top of Group A after recording a 16-0 win against Sudan on Saturday in one of the biggest results of the opening round.