Suleiman hails win, urges improvement
DAR ES SALAAM: TAIFA Stars head coach Hemed Suleiman praised his players for their tactical discipline following a narrow 1-0 victory over Mauritania in the 2024 CHAN Tournament.
However, he cautioned that there is still room for improvement as the Taifa Stars continue their perfect campaign. This is the second win for the Taifa Stars, following their 2-0 victory against Burkina Faso.
As a result, Tanzania is at the top of Group B, followed by Burkina Faso with three points. Madagascar and Mauritania each have one point, while the Central African Republic has yet to earn a point.
Coach Suleiman shared his thoughts at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday during the post-match interview, commending his team late winner.
Despite the win, Suleiman acknowledged that his team struggled in several areas that need improvement to enhance their attacking efficiency, especially against well-organised opponents.
“We will return to training and work on correcting our mistakes,” said Suleiman. “Scoring is not easy when your opponent plays six or seven players in defence. We also need to improve our efficiency in the final third.”
He noted that Mauritania’s deep and compact defensive shape, combined with a direct style of play, posed challenges for his team, particularly in the early stages of the match.
“It was a tough encounter. We started the game slowly, knowing Mauritania would sit deep and look to launch long balls forward,” he explained.
Suleiman stressed the importance of winning each game, as they aim to qualify for the knockout stage. “The important thing is getting three points. We will fix our mistakes during training. Our main goal remains qualification for the next round, and hopefully, our next game will be even better.”
On the other side, Mauritania head coach Aritz López Garai expressed disappointment at the result but commended his team’s performance, suggesting they were unfortunate not to earn at least a point.
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“This is football as we know it. You can play well, dominate, and still lose at the very end. We controlled the match and played well. I think we just needed more concentration throughout,” said López Garai.
The Spaniard noted that his team limited Tanzania’s opportunities but was undone by a rare lapse in the final minutes.
Despite the setback, the Mauritania coach praised the Tanzanian side, calling them group favourites and expressing confidence that they would progress deep into the tournament, especially with the advantage of home support.
“Tanzania is a strong team. Their fans created pressure on both sides. I believe our players played good football and created chances. Tanzania is the favourite to qualify from our group, maybe even top it.”
López Garai also acknowledged the difficulty of defending for 90 minutes and commended his players for their efforts. “We tried to close spaces and defend as a unit, but Tanzania scored from a single attack. These things are never easy.”
He concluded by applauding his squad’s commitment despite the late heartbreak. “I’m satisfied with my players’ performance. I’m not happy with the loss, but they gave it their all. We had a game plan, but it’s difficult to maintain the same rhythm for 90 minutes.”
