The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Suleiman Jongo
2 September 2008
Taifa Stars board a Port Louis bound flight today for a return leg tie of the 2010 African Nations/World Cup formality qualifier tie against Mauritius to be played in Curepipe on Saturday. Stars have already been shown the exit door of the qualifiers after poor show and now seek pride in Saturday's clash rather than qualifying.
The team which has been under Brazilian trainer Marcio Maximo for exactly two years now, are mere pushovers in the qualifiers after playing four matches, losing two and drawing as many.
The qualifier has now been turned into a two horse race with Cameroon leading group 1 which also include Cape Verde, on ten points. Cape Verde and Cameroon also play their fifth match of the qualifier in Praia this weekend.
Stars lost all away ties to Cape Verde (0-1) and Cameroon (1-2). The team forced goalless draw with Cameroon at home in a nerve-jangling 1-1 draw with Mauritius in close shave situations of the qualifier opener on May 31, in Dar es Salaam.
Unlike in the previous outings to Cape Verde and Cameroon where Stars boarded their flights at eleventh hour, this time the team has four days of rest ahead of kick off. The group's attention will be focused on the Praia match between Cameroon and Cape Verde who are on the verge of winning the qualifier berth.
Prior to today's flight, Stars took a five-day upcountry training stint at Shinyanga's Bulyanhulu gold mine.
Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) secretary general Frederick Mwakalebela drew optimism of the upcountry trip as a catalyst to win the return leg in Curepipe.
Since their last qualifier clash against Cameroon on June 21, Stars have played only one friendly match against Ghana a fortnight ago that ended in 1-1 draw. Coach Maximo believes the upcountry training and a recent friendly against Ghana are enough for his boys to wrap up first victory in the qualifiers.
Since May, Stars have played ten internationals without away win, while maintaining a unique unbeaten run at home.The final match of the qualifiers will be played in Dar early next month against the group's surprise package, Cape Verde.
Having pushed out of the qualifiers, Stars are taking the remaining qualifiers as a build up for African Nations Cup for domestic based players. Stars are paired against Sudan in the final qualifier duel set for end of November through December.
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