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Tanzania/Uganda: Minister Urges Taifa Stars to Excel in Kampala Clash
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The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
14 May 2008
Posted to the web 14 May 2008
Majuto Omary
The Minister in the Vice-President's Office (Union Affairs), Mohammed Seif Khatib yesterday impressed on Taifa Stars players to put up the necessary effort to win Saturday's return leg tie against the Uganda Cranes at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Kampala.
Stars play the Cranes in a second round return leg tie of the newly introduced African Nations Cup Championship for domestic based players having eliminated Harambee Stars in the preliminary round.
Stars won the first leg tie at the CCM Kirumba Stadium by 2-0 goals exactly twelve days ago.
Khatib who used to serve as Minister of Information, Culture and Sports before the February cabinet reshuffle, paid a visit to the Stars camp at Msasani in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
He said players should work as a team without complacency, despite posting a valuable win during the first leg match.
Stars should work out a strategy that would see them notch at least a goal during the opening minutes so as to paralyse their opponents with a heavy workload, the minister suggested.
"It will be of use if you can score in the opening minutes against the host side which has a superior ranking in world football," said Khatib.
He said the country has registered excellent improvement in world rankings to leap frog from 167th position to 102 as a result of good work by the Brazilian trainer Marcio Maximo and his technical staff.
The minister said all attention of the local fans will be focused to the match hoping to hear good news, and not disappointing news after the spadework in Mwanza.
While wishing the players the best of luck in the return leg tie, he also extended his appreciation to the superb job currently being done by corporate sponsors Serengeti Breweries, National Microfinance Bank and Mohamed Enterprises.
Stars coach Maximo thanked Khatib for the visit and said his blessings have injected a new spirit and motivation within the Stars team and officials.
Maximo said players are committed to win the return leg match and fans should expect nothing short of victory.
Stars' midfielder Haruna Moshi arrived yesterday to join the squad for the Saturday fixture and preparations for the 2010 Cup of Nations and World Cup finals African qualifiers.
Stars play Mauritius in the qualifiers opener at the New National Stadium on May 31.
Another foreign-based player expected to arrive is Erasto Nyoni who features for Burundi's top flight side, Vital'O.
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Stars' contingent of 22 players are expected to leave Thursday afternoon for the tricky assignment in Kampala.
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