DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA’s hopes of qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) hang in the balance as they prepare to face Guinea in a crucial enccounter on Tuesday.
Following a 2-0 victory over Ethiopia, Coach Hemed Suleiman’s focus has shifted to the upcoming match against Guinea.
The West African side secured a dramatic 1-0 win over group leaders DR Congo, setting up a high-stakes showdown in Dar es Salaam. With DR Congo already qualifying, the battle for the second spot in Group H is between Tanzania and Guinea.
Guinea currently holds the advantage with nine points, while Tanzania trails with seven. A win for Tanzania is imperative to keep their AFCON dreams alive.
A draw, however, would likely secure Guinea’s qualification. The Benjamin Mkapa Stadium will be the stage for this decisive encounter, where the Tanzanian fans will be eager to witness their team secure a historic qualification.
A victory would bring immense joy to the nation, while a draw would allow Guinea to secure their qualification, as they could advance with either a win or a draw.
Ethiopia, on the other hand, is already out of the running and their final match against the Democratic Republic of Congo will serve only to complete their match schedule.
Speaking after the Saturday’s match, Suleiman acknowledged the challenges his team faced against an Ethiopian side playing without pressure. “It is always harder to face a team with nothing to lose, but I am proud of how the players handled the pressure,” he said.
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“Getting the three points was essential and now we look forward to the next challenge.” The coach’s attention quickly turned to the next fixture, underscoring that the match against Guinea is pivotal for Tanzania’s qualification hopes.
“We have to win our home games if we want to qualify for AFCON,” he explained.
“This is a critical moment for us and we must be fully prepared.” Despite the win, Suleiman is keen to address areas of improvement. “We have identified mistakes and things that worked well during the match.
We will return to the training ground and focus on fine-tuning our game. I am confident we will be even better in the next match.”
The coach also took a moment to send his condolences to fellow Tanzanians after the recent Kariakoo tragic events. “This morning, we woke up to sad news, but I want to send my sympathies to everyone affected,” he said.
“We hope this win brings some joy to our people and we wish a speedy recovery to those impacted.” Looking ahead, Suleiman is confident that his team will rise to the occasion against Guinea.
“Every match in this tournament is tough, but we are ready. We will be even more determined in the next match and will give our all to make sure we get the result we need. Inshallah, we will succeed”.
