It’s tough luck for Stars…

TAIFA Stars campaign for African Nations Championship (CHAN) ended miserably after a 4-0 aggregate goals humiliation to Uganda Cranes in Kampala on Saturday.

The big loss has dashed hopes to see the envoys play in the CHAN finals for the third time. Taifa Stars have featured in the CHAN Finals twice and both of them, the Tanzanian envoys reached the group stage.

Taifa Stars went to Kampala for the return leg of CHAN qualifiers trailing 1-0, thus giving them an arduous job. Things went other way round and sadly, Stars suffered a humiliating 3-0 loss away.

The St Mary’s Stadium- Kitende in Uganda was bitter for Stars yesterday as it witnessed the Cranes netting spectacular goals through Moses Waisa, Richard Basangwa and Rogers Mato.

Their goals gave Uganda Cranes a ‘great’ victory. Waisa scored the opener in the 17th minute through a penalty kick after Taifa Stars midfielder Jonas Mkude fouled Roger Mato in the 15th minute.

Basangwa scored the second goal for Cranes in the 52nd minute before Mato completing the Cranes goal festival with the third goal in the 75th minute.

Mato finished well Milton Karisa’s set piece with a header. Tanzania seemed to be outclassed by their hosts, though they made several attempts that could have given them goals.

One of the chances came in the 10th minute, when Stars skipper John Bocco headed off target Mzamiru Yassin’s volley.

Another attempt was in the 63rd minute, when Abdul Suleiman Sopu took an excellent free kick that unfortunately had hit the post and was cleared by the Cranes defenders.

Tanzania did not lose hopes and continued to make attempts, and in the 69th minute, Feisal Salum fired a longrange shot but it missed the target by a whisker.

As the Cranes technical bench was awaiting the final whistle, Taifa Stars made their last attempt through Habib Kyombo, who completed Daniel Lyanga’s set, but, the Cranes goalkeeper Nafian Alionzi stood firmly and saved his side from danger.