Kampala — WE expected Taifa Stars to beat Uganda Cranes -- and qualify for the second time in the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) finals in South Africa next year -- but the Stars were far from perfect!

It should be remembered in 2008, Taifa Stars beat Uganda to ensure that the championship held in Cote d' Ivoire proceeded without Laszlo Csaba's boys. Back then, Cranes looked feckless and listless against the Taifa Stars.

However, on Saturday, it was a different affair and the afternoon felt sweeter for Ugandans considering that the same Tanzanian fans that mocked the Cranes back in 2008 looked utterly miserable. But then again, what did they expect?

The Taifa Stars had lost 1-0 at their own fortress in Dar es Salaam and surely pushing for a result in Kampala and in a stadium (Namboole) where the team has not lost a game since 2005, was asking for too much from their side. The visitors started nervously.

They conceded four freekicks, survived two scares that had Denis Iguma's shot blocked and Joseph Mpande miscuing another before succumbing to the first goal on seven minutes from Frank Kalanda. Although Taifa Stars fought back through Amir Kiemba, the Cranes were clearly determined to win this.

And, thanks to Brian Majwega's industrious play on the left, the Cranes managed to secure the second goal. The KCC FC winger dribbled and crossed before Stars defender David Luhende, who was making his first start in the Stars line up handled his swerving ball into box.

Majwega struck the resultant penalty on 48 minutes before Kalanda completed the victory on 63 minutes and allow Milutin Sredojevic 'Micho' side the opportunity of preparing for the CHAN tournament that will start on January 11, 2014.

Why Stars lost in Namboole (Mandela) Stadium?

It is clear that Taifa Stars are unprepared for sustained success and they are not mentally strong enough as they fail to win matches when playing badly.

The team has not got a Plan B for tough matches and if they are not in dazzling form they don't manage to win. We saw this once again recently at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam when Uganda beat them 1-0.

And their defence, especially full backs, need to be strengthened. Truly, full backs are a weak link for the team or may be, they get little support from midfielders and wing attackers who fail their task to frequently track back to provide assistance.

Stars conceded three goals against Uganda Cranes at the weekend with 'big mistakes' as admitted by Coach Kim Poulsen, who loves to play the beautiful and eye catching football. The Dane coach does not like to win 'ugly'.

For so long, Stars striking force has not been good enough; it needs to be given artificial respiration to fire up. It is even worse without DR Congo's TP Mazembe duo of Mbwana Samatta and Thomas Ulimwengu. Without the duo, Stars striking force is completely toothless, which is so sad and call for urgent solution. In absence of the two, John Bocco, the preferred choice in attack is hardly effective, though he always give 100 per cent commitment to the team.

Otherwise, the team strength is in the midfield, where Amri Kiemba, Frank Domayo, Salum Aboubakar, wayward Mwinyi Kazimoto and Athumani Iddi 'Chuji' operates. Wing attackers of Mrisho Ngassa, Simon Msuva and Haruna Chanongo have also given their fair performance for the team so is for the back four of Aggrey Morris, Kelvin Yondani and Nadir Haroub.

We should also not forget the fact that Stars had made it difficult for themselves. Poulsen men went in Kampala aiming to turn tables against the hosts, Cranes but had already made the game difficult for themselves after losing 0-1 at home.

They started nervously but slowly picked up surely, if Stars had slightly managed an intelligent style of play they exhibited against such Africa powerhouses as Morocco and Ivory Coast in the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign matches, may be the story could have been diffeent today.

Sadly, their form was far from such a replica. At some occasion they tried to impose their mastery, skills, speed and passing game on the opposition but thwarted by resolute Cranes side, who proved in Dar es Salaam that they could still win even when they play badly.

The other major weakness for Stars last Saturday was the fact that the team seemed to have lacked balance between attack and defence and it was from this weakness that they conceded the third goal.

In recent months if not years, Stars have also proved failure to win decisive matches--remember the match against Zambia in the 2008 CHAN finals, when the then goalkeeper, Shaaban Dihile gave out a last minute goal from a tactical poor time judgment.

Just recently, when Stars were required to win two crucial matches to keep their hopes of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil, they failed to deliver--losing 2-1 against Morocco in Marrakesh, before succumbing to a 4-2 defeat at home to mighty Cote d'Ivoire.

Poulsen should devise psychometric tests for young players.

And, it is obvious Stars need to strengthen their full backs and above all, they need a top striker who can compliment or fill in Samatta and Ulimwengu's void at domestic competitions. They need a striker who is very strong in one-on-ones situation and against two or three defenders.

In recent years, the Stars never had anyone better than Madaraka Selemani 'Mzee wa Kiminyio' or Mohamed Hussein 'Machinga' all the time the two had been in the team. I have to add that their striking is still weak too often from the impact and size viewpoint. Mrisho Ngassa as a central striker isn't great, is it? It is pity that Poulsen doesn't have a straightforward choice in his team selection because he is limited with few active youth tournaments to select players from.

However, the few he has in the team have proved to have quality and if they can improve further their standard of play it could somewhat help. And, until the country ensures as many local players get professional deals to play in Europe big leagues, then Tanzania will not be on the mark to earn a place in the AFCON and World Cup finals.

It is also time the coach use psychometric testing, which can help him measure the "hidden" attributes of good players.

Weak league factor:

Local coach Kennedy Mwaisabula feels a sense of weak league as a factor that leads to having a weak national team.

For instance, he points out that in 1987, Young Africans won the league on 23 points, while Red Star were relegated, placed second bottom-- 9th on the table with 17 points--only six points adrift of Yanga. Last season, he says, Yanga won the league on 60 points, while Toto Africans were relegated after finishing second bottom on 22 points--massive 38 points behind Yanga.

What Mwaisabula is trying to point out is the fact that the current league is so weak and there was lack of even competitive edge. Another big shortcoming is that local clubs hardly invest on youth. I believe if clubs invest in this area, it would bring in much needed revolution.

And how much would it cost them? Not as much as that they spend in signing 'bogus' foreign players. They will in the end balance their books by selling quality players abroad.