By Uzor Odigbo
Former Super Eagles winger, Emmanuel Amuneke, who made his Africa Cup of Nations’ coaching debut with Tanzania recently has another opportunity to get his team win their first tournament match in 39 years.
Tanzania, ranked 131, understandably lost their opening match to Africa’s best ranked team, Senegal on Sunday.
But they should be on even terms with their neighbours, Kenya as they meet Thursday night (June 27) in what could be termed ‘ultimate clash’ in Group C.
The match becomes important as both team may want to struggle for a possible lucky third place considering that Senegal and Algeria are expected to lead the group.
The match assumes a political colouration as Tanzania’s President, John Magufuli reportedly urged football stakeholders in the country to support “Taifa Stars”, saying they were capable of defeating Kenya and Algeria in the remaining matches.
“We all target victory and we call upon the players not to be discouraged, I give them my support,” the president said.
“Let’s give the Taifa Stars players moral support. We need to encourage the players in the competition, despite losing to the number one team on the African continent.”
The two teams had been beaten 2-0, in their respective opening matches. Hence they are not taking the encounter for granted as it is the match that could determine if any could be among the best four third-placed teams to advance.
According to Kenya’s Nation newspaper, Dar es Salaam’s regional commissioner, Paul Makonda, arrived in Cairo on Wednesday to motivate “Taifa Stars” and was received by Tanzania’s ambassador to Cairo Mohammed Nassoro and Tanzania Football Federation president Wallace Karia.
“I was hurt by the result of our first match, but I was hurt more by people who criticized our players who have brought us to Afcon for the first time in 30 years,” he said.
In their last 10 head-to-head spanning 12 years, Tanzania have won three times, but all at home.
The Kenyans reveled in the fact that Tanzania have never beaten them outside Tanzania. The meeting today at the June 30 Stadium in Cairo offers a neutral ground
