Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian football scaled new heights last night after the national team, Taifa Stars, secured their maiden African Nations Championship (CHAN) quarterfinal berth with a 2-1 victory over Madagascar in a pulsating Group B clash at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
Roared on by a fervent home crowd, striker Clement Mzize emerged as the match-winner, netting twice in the first half to cement Tanzania’s place at the top of the group with an unassailable nine points.
The 21-year-old forward, who now shares the tournament’s top scorer slot with Kenya’s Austin Odhiambo on three goals, displayed the predatory instinct that had been called for in the build-up to the game.
Pre-match stakes and context
The encounter had been billed as a defining moment for Tanzanian football.
Coming into the tie, the Stars had already made history by opening their CHAN campaign with back-to-back wins, a 2-0 triumph over Burkina Faso and a 1-0 victory against Mauritania, without conceding a goal.
This perfect start, unprecedented in any CAF finals campaign for Tanzania, left them needing just a win over Madagascar to reach the knockout phase for the first time.
The challenge was far from straightforward. Madagascar, though winless before the fixture, had a history of unsettling the Stars with disciplined defending and swift counterattacks.
In their last four meetings since 2015, the island nation had beaten Tanzania twice, both in COSAFA Cup matches, while Tanzania’s successes had come in World Cup qualifiers.
For coach Hemed Suleiman Morocco, the task was to maintain the defensive resilience shown so far while sharpening attacking efficiency – a point underscored by the fact that defenders had provided much of the scoring in the earlier games.
Mzize delivers on the big stage
The plan clicked into gear almost immediately.
Mzize broke the deadlock in the 13th minute, lifting the stadium into a frenzy.
Seven minutes later, he doubled the lead, latching onto a precise Feisal Fei Toto Salum free kick.
With two goals inside 20 minutes, the Stars looked to be cruising.
Madagascar, however, reminded the hosts of their threat in the 34th minute when Mika Razafimahatana finished a flowing move initiated by Lalaina Cliver Rafanomezantsoa.
That goal set up a tense second half, with Morocco making tactical substitutions to reinforce midfield control and protect the lead.
While no further goals followed, the match’s intensity never waned.
The Stars balanced composure with controlled aggression, frustrating Madagascar’s late attempts at an equaliser.
A historic chapter written
The win ensures Tanzania finish top of Group B regardless of the result in their final group match against the Central African Republic on August 16.
Their quarterfinal will be played on August 22 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium against the Group A runners-up.
For a footballing nation that has not reached the last eight of a continental tournament since independence in 1961, this milestone represents both a breakthrough and a statement of intent.
Mzize’s scoring form, the team’s defensive organisation, and the depth of their attacking options from domestic league stars have fuelled belief that this campaign could yet produce more history.
As fans celebrated long after the final whistle, the sense was clear: this was more than just a group stage win, it was proof that Tanzania can not only compete but excel on Africa’s big stage.
