TDS coach stresses penalty practice after win over South Africa

ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST: TALENT Development Scheme (TDS) Coach, Aggrey Morris, highlighted the need for focused practice on penalty-taking after his team’s 4-3 defeat in a post-match shootout against South Africa in the on-going TDS Development Tournament at Bingervile, Abidjan.

The match ended 1-1 after regular time, necessitating a penalty shootout to determine the winner.

South Africa ultimately emerged victorious in the tense conclusion.

Reflecting on the game, Morris underscored the importance of improving his players’ confidence and “Penalties can be challenging because no player is guaranteed to score,” Morris said.

“We need to intensify our training on how to handle and convert these crucial opportunities to boost our scoring efficiency in future matches,” he noted.

Morris praised his team for the overall performance against South Africa, despite not being able to capitalise on several scoring chances.

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“Our focus should be on making the most of our scoring opportunities,” he noted.

“In this game, we had at least six clear chances but failed to convert them.

This is an area we need to address,” Morris said.

The Tanzanian side will face Ivory Coast today in their third fixture of the tournament at the same venue, seeking a win after a 2-2 draw against Zambia in the opening match.

Meanwhile, fellow TDS Coach, Haruna Adroph reported positive progress at the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Technical Centre in Tanga, where the Talent Development Scheme continues to nurture young footballers.

“With schools closed, many young players are able to dedicate more time to their training, which is allowing them to focus on learning fundamental football skills,” Adroph said.