Stars focus on Mauritania today
DAR ES SALAAM: TAIFA Stars Head Coach, Hemed Suleiman, has declared his side is fully prepared to face Mauritania in their second CHAN 2024 Group B match, brushing aside concerns about FIFA rankings or the perceived quality of their opponents’ domestic league.
Speaking during a press conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday, ahead of the final training session as they wait today’s showdown at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Suleiman said his approach to preparations is based on respect and readiness, not reputation.
“In football, there is no small opponent or weak team,” Suleiman insisted.
“They have reached this tournament because they have done well. I don’t look at rankings, I don’t look at their league. What I know is that tomorrow (today) I am playing against a strong team — that’s why they are here.”
For Suleiman, the key to preparing his team lies in analysing the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition once they step on the pitch. “I don’t think the league matters much,” he said.
“What matters is the type of opponent we are facing. That’s the most important thing,”he insisted.
The coach dismissed suggestions that Mauritania’s domestic league is ‘soft’ compared to others or that their CAF ranking makes them an easy opponent. He stressed that any team in CHAN has earned its place on merit.
“We saw them in their last match; they played well. They are disciplined, well-organised,” Suleiman explained.
“So, I take it that we are going to play against a tough team. I don’t think they come from a weak league… how would they be here otherwise?” he said.
And questioned. According to FIFA rankings posted on CAFonline.com last year, Mauritania was ranked 22nd in Africa and 105th globally, while Tanzania sit 32nd in Africa and 119th worldwide.
Mauritania Head Coach Aritz Lopez Garay, meanwhile, admitted that a slow start in their opening game against Madagascar cost them victory.
“Before the game we had our plan depending on the opponent,” Garay explained.
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“Against Madagascar we took 20 minutes waiting to see what would happen in the game.” He acknowledged that Madagascar’s high pressing and collective defending created glitches.
“They press together when they lose the ball. We tried to organise our offensive play but it was not easy. In the first game we felt a little pressure — it was our first match and we needed to slowly come out.
“We had a lot of possession but didn’t create many chances. Madagascar’s defensive concept worked well. Now it depends on the opponent — against Tanzania it will be different,” Garay said.
As co-hosts of CHAN 2024, Tanzania capitalised on home advantage with a 2-0 opening win over Burkina Faso, courtesy of goals from Abdul Suleiman ‘Sopu’ and Mohamed Hussein ‘Tshabalala’.
The result put Stars top of Group B, which also includes Madagascar, Mauritania and the Central African Republic.
Tanzania have played four previous CHAN matches against West African opposition, winning two, drawing one and losing one. Their wins came against Ivory Coast in 2009 and Burkina Faso this year, with a 2-2 draw against Guinea in 2020 and a 1-0 loss to Senegal in 2009.
Mauritania opened their campaign with a 0-0 draw against Madagascar. They remain winless in opening games, with two draws and two losses. Tanzania, meanwhile, celebrated their first-ever opening match victory at CHAN.
The record books favour the Stars in second group matches, with two previous wins: 1-0 over Ivory Coast (2009) and 1-0 over Namibia (2020).
Mauritania’s second games have all produced results, each by a one-goal margin: Losses to Burundi (3-2, 2014) and Sudan (1-0, 2018), before a 1-0 victory over Mali in 2022.
