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2021 AFCON QUALIFIERS: Tanzania stop Equatorial Guinea to make winning start
The Taifa Stars of Tanzania have made a winning start in the 2021 Total Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers. Tanzania picked a hard earned 2-1 win over visiting Equatorial Guinea team on Friday night at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
It was the visitors who took the lead with a Pedro Mba Obiang Avomo strike after 15 minutes that many though experienced goalkeeper Juma Kaseja should have punched away.
In th second half a more composed Tanzanian side increased their attacking intensity to level matters through Simon Msuva. With skipper Mbwanna Samatta putting the Equatorial Guinea defenders on pressure, the Taifa Stars started to create several scoring opportunities but lloking blunt at goal.
With two added minutes on the cloak Salum Abubakar unleashed a hard shot from outside the box to make it 2-1 and drive the fans into celebration.
“We are happy to start with a win at home. But we need to keep working hard ahead of the other matches,” said Samatta after the game. The win takes Tanzania second in Group J after Tunisia humbled Libya 4-1 last night.
On Thursday Harambee Stars of Kenya came from a goal down to hold hosts Egypt at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria.
Playing minus their injured skipper Muhamad Salah, the home side took the lead through Mohamoud Abdel Moneim Soliman after 42 minutes. But Japan based striker Michael Olunga made sure Kenya picked a point from Egypt with a 69th minute equalizer.
On Saturday Cecafa’s other representatives who are yet to play Ethiopia will take on hosts Madagascar at the Mahamasina Municipal Stadium, Antananarivo.
Results for Cecafa teams
Malawi 1 South Sudan 0
Burkina Faso 0 Uganda 0
Central African Republic 2 Burundi 0
Sudan 4- Sao Tome and Principe 0
Mozambique 2 Rwanda 0
Egypt 1 Kenya 1
Tanzania 2 Equatorial Guinea 1