The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Mohamed Ugasa
22 August 2008
The one-all-draw match results between the visiting Ghanaian national soccer team and Taifa Stars played at the new National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday, has brought relief to some wary fans who had lost confidence in the team.
Stars were on their way to post a victory in a match they dominated for long spells, only to be shocked by a last-gasp equalising goal rarely scored by goalkeepers in regulation time.
Statistics show that Stars have been stable at home without losing a match for the past three months. The team has played ten matches that include two friendlies, four qualifiers for African Nations Cup for domestic based players and as many for 2010 qualifiers.
Out of the ten matches, Stars have lost three to Cape Verde and the other to Cameroon in the 2010 qualifiers and to Kenya (away) in the Nations Cup for domestic based players.
Otherwise the team posted wins over Kenya and Uganda, while securing nerve-jangling draws to visiting Malawi, Mauritius, Cameroon and Uganda (away).
While Stars have been a hard nut to crack when playing at home, the away games record has been in shambles. Out of the four away matches the team has played against Kenya, Uganda, Cape Verde and Cameroon, Stars managed to secure a one-all-draw with Uganda in close shave situations, losing the rest.
In ten matches, Stars striking force has managed to score nine goals while its defence has conceded eight.
Maximo's first choice custodian, Ivon Mapunda, stood between the posts in seven of those matches and managed to keep only one clean sheet in a match against Cameroon on July 14, played at the new National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Second choice goalkeeper, Farouk Ramadhan, featured in three matches, one against Uganda and the other two versus Kenya, where he conceded only one goal in Nairobi while keeping a clean sheet in the remaining two at home.
The trend has shown that Stars have a blunt forward line while its defense is porous.
Stars are expected to play the remaining formality 2010 African Nations and World Cup formality qualifiers against Mauritius on September 6, and host Cape Verde on October 11.
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