Twiga Stars seek flying start in their WAFCON opener against South Africa

MOROCCO:TANZANIA Women’s national team head coach, Bakari Shime, says a victory over South Africa in today’s opening match of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) would provide the confidence and momentum needed for Twiga Stars to enjoy a successful tournament.

Speaking ahead of the encounter, Shime acknowledged the quality and strength of the South African side but expressed confidence that his squad is well prepared to secure a positive result.

He said Twiga Stars have gained valuable confidence from their two international friendly matches against Ghana and Nigeria, both of whom possess a level of quality comparable to South Africa.

“The friendlies helped us identify the areas we need to improve. If we correct the mistakes we made against Ghana and Nigeria, we have a good chance of starting our WAFCON campaign on a positive note,” Shime said.

As part of their preparations, Twiga Stars played out a goalless draw against Ghana before suffering a narrow 2-1 defeat to defending WAFCON champions Nigeria.

ALSO READ; Twiga step up WAFCON preps

Team captain Oppa Clement also expressed confidence ahead of the clash, saying the experience gained from the team’s previous WAFCON appearances has strengthened the players’ belief that they can begin the tournament with a victory over South Africa.

She said the players understand the expectations of Tanzanians and are determined to fight for the nation’s pride.

This marks Twiga Stars’ third appearance at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. The team is aiming to break its previous record of exiting at the group stage by reaching the knockout rounds for the first time.