Makonda demands same fire after Nigeria test
MOROCCO: DEPUTY Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Paul Makonda has challenged Taifa Stars players to turn belief into results, declaring the remaining Group C matches at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as mustwin encounters for both national pride and individual legacy.
Speaking passionately in the changing room after Tanzania’s narrow 2–1 defeat to Nigeria, Makonda commended the team’s fighting spirit and urged them to replicate and improve on the intensity, quality and determination they displayed against the African giants when they face Uganda on Saturday and Tunisia on Tuesday.
Makonda revealed that Tanzania’s performance against Nigeria had not gone unnoticed at the highest levels of African football.
“I had the privilege of speaking with the CAF President (Patrice Motsepe), who acknowledged that Tanzania is growing and that we now have one of the best teams,” Makonda told the players.
“I also sat with the Nigerian Football Federation President and their Minister for Sports. They both admitted that what they saw on the pitch was unexpected.”
According to Makonda, the level of competition Taifa Stars gave Nigeria was far stronger than anticipated, a sign that Tanzania is no longer a side to be underestimated.
He urged the players to embrace the moment and silence all remaining doubters.
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“Let there be no one in our country who will say that this Taifa Stars team is not a great team. Let no one dare to say that Taifa Stars is not among the best,” he said.
Makonda reminded the squad that their true value lies not in material rewards but in what they choose to deliver on the pitch. “Your value as a player is in your own hands. It is not in material things. It is in how you perform when the nation is watching,” he said.
With two group matches remaining, Makonda called on the team to rise above their 2023 level and take a decisive step forward by qualifying for the knockout stage.
“For those who wish to retire from football, retire with honour. And for those who want to build their dreams, this is your moment.”
He concluded with a rallying call to action: Defeat Uganda, finish strong against Tunisia, and advance beyond the group stage.
“Let us defeat Uganda on the 27th and complete the job against Tunisia on the 30th. Let us show the world what Tanzania is capable of,” Makonda said.
Taifa Stars remain in contention in Group C, with belief growing that progression to the knockout stage is within reach if the same fighting spirit shown against Nigeria is carried forward.
