ACTUALITE |
27.10.2001
Tanzania predict victory
Tanzania is resounding with confidence on the eve of the final of the four-nations tournament they are hosting this week, and victory over neighbours Kenya would serve to further boost morale as they make a return to international football.
Coach Sylersaid Mziray was confidently predicting a win in the final in Mwanza on Saturday, reminding all who would listen that he had been in charge of the Tanzanian mainland side that had beaten the Harambee Stars in the East and Central African Senior Challenge Cup four years ago.
"In my first time as national coach, I never lost to Kenya and I don`t want to start now," said Mziray, now back for his second spell with the Taifa Stars.
Tanzania had not played for a year before Wednesday`s dramatic semi-final win over the Democratic Republic of Congo, where they had come from a goal down with three minutes left to secure their place in the final at the end of a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
"We did lose concentration and look a little rusty but you must remember we haven`t played in such a long time," explained Mziray.
Hero Lungu
"Now we have the hopes of our people in our hands and we want to win," the coach added.
Veteran striker Nteze John Lungu was the hero of Wednesday`s win with his two goals, including an 87th minute equaliser to force a 2-2 draw. Tanzania then won the resultant shoot-out 4-2.
Kenya also needed a penalty shoot-out to progress, winning 4-2 on spot-kicks after a drab goalless draw with Uganda.
Uganda had beaten Kenya on penalties in last year`s final in Nairobi to win the inaugural edition of the annual event, sponsored by a South African beer company.
"Our performance was a little disappointing and we know what we have to do to fix it. Defensively we did well but in attack we couldn`t get our combinations going," said Reinhard Fabisch, the 51-year-old coach of Kenya.
"I will make one or two changes for the final," he added.
Move to Mwanza
All four teams flew into Mwanza from Arusha on Thursday for Saturday`s showdown. Beaten semi-finalists the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda play first on Saturday in the third place play-off game.
Uganda had fielded five new caps, all of them teenagers. Coach Leo Adraa said his side had not lost the game but been beaten on post-match penalties.
For the Congolese, results have not been important but rather the chance to play in a competitive tournament before they head to the African Nations Cup finals in Mali in January.
"This has been a great chance for us to look at new players and see how they fare in international competition.
"Our inexperience showed with the way we threw away a comfortable position and lost to Tanzania but I`m happy with a few of the players we gave debuts to," said the Simbas coach Louis Watunda.
He added that he thought about five to six of their players would be kept for the squad for the Nations Cup, which was to be made up of mainly European-based players.
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Hits: 1 | Source:BBC | |
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