DAR ES SALAAM: THE head coach of the national football team, Taifa Stars, which featured in the 2024 CHAN qualifiers, Bakari Shime has urged the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) to arrange more friendly matches to support the team’s on-going development.
Coach Bakari Shime made this call after Tanzania narrowly lost to Sudan in a penalty shootout, following an aggregate draw of 1-1 in the two-legged matches. For Sudan, they will meet Ethiopia in the next qualifiers round.
During the qualifiers for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2025 finals, Taifa Stars played two matches against Sudan. They managed to secure a 1-0 victory in the second leg, which levelled the aggregate score at 1-1; however, they ultimately lost 6-5 on penalties.
Following the matches against Sudan, Shime expressed pride in his team’s performance but emphasised the need for friendly matches to further enhance their skills before the finals.
“Everyone has seen the level of our team, especially considering we played against a more experienced side that has been together for a long time. I will speak to TFF to arrange some friendly matches so our team can continue to improve,” Shime said.
However, he also lamented the missed opportunities during the game, noting that his players failed to convert chances that could have secured a win in regular time.
On his part his counterpart Sudan’s head coach, James Apiah, praised Taifa Stars for their impressive performance, highlighting the youthful composition of the team.
“Tanzania has a good team with many young players. I believe they will develop into an even stronger side in the future,” Apiah remarked.
With Sudan advancing in the CHAN tournament after defeating Tanzania in the penalty shootout, they are now set to face Ethiopia in their next match.
But despite Sudan’s progression, Tanzania will participate in the tournament scheduled for February 1-28, 2025, as one of the host nations alongside Kenya and Uganda.
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The CHAN finals are set to begin early next year and will be co-hosted by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, all of which will participate directly in the tournament despite playing qualifying matches.
The CECAFA Zone will be represented by four teams in the upcoming CHAN 2025 tournament in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
