Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s national football team, Taifa Stars, launched their 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) campaign in emphatic style with a commanding 2–0 triumph over Burkina Faso in the opening Group B fixture played at the electrifying Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
In a pulsating contest witnessed by a spirited home crowd, the Stars produced a performance brimming with discipline, intensity and tactical brilliance.
From the first whistle to the last, the hosts exhibited remarkable composure and control across all areas of the pitch, outmanoeuvring their West African opponents with measured dominance.
The breakthrough came moments before the half-time interval, in the third minute of added time (45+3’), after Tanzania were awarded a penalty following sustained pressure in the final third.
Rising teenage striker Abdul Suleiman, known fondly by fans as Sopu, stepped up with nerve and precision to slot home the opener, sending the stadium into raptures.
Burkina Faso began the second half with renewed urgency, probing for an equaliser through swift counterattacks and long balls, but were repeatedly frustrated by a resolute Tanzanian defence marshalled with calm authority.
Their resistance was finally punished again in the 71st minute, when left-back Mohamed Hussein, nicknamed Tshabalala, surged forward and rifled a thunderous strike beyond the Burkinabe custodian to double the lead.
The result not only secures three crucial points for Taifa Stars but also propels them to the summit of Group B, significantly boosting their prospects of qualifying for the knockout stages.
The morale-boosting victory, achieved on home soil, was a testament to the team’s maturity and growing ambition.
Head Coach Hemed Suleiman Morocco praised his squad’s discipline and focus, expressing confidence that this year’s CHAN campaign could be one of Tanzania’s most memorable.
“This result is a beacon of what this team is capable of,” he remarked.
“We have a strong, united squad this year. I keep saying it. We are not here just to participate; we are here to compete. The boys have shown the hunger and determination, and the home support is giving us extra fire.”
The gaffer acknowledged past disappointments in previous CHAN editions, where Tanzania struggled to progress beyond the group stages, but said the tide has turned.
“Yes, history hasn’t been kind to us in this tournament, but that chapter is closed. This is a new page, a new squad, and a tournament being held in our own backyard. That advantage cannot be overstated,” Morocco added.
Tanzania is co-hosting this year’s CHAN alongside Kenya and Uganda, a historic first for the East African region, and the opening ceremony at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium was officiated by Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, who represented President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan.
The win has sparked a wave of optimism among Tanzanian football fans, many of whom believe that, buoyed by home advantage and a rejuvenated squad, Taifa Stars have what it takes to make a deep run in the tournament.
Supporters poured out of the stadium after the final whistle, chanting, waving flags, and celebrating a result that could well mark the beginning of a new era in Tanzanian football.
With stiffer challenges yet to come, Taifa Stars will now look to build on this momentum as they prepare for their next group matches, determined to write their own chapter of glory in CHAN 2024.
