Battling Stars Lose to CAR

Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

Nasongelya Kilyinga

5 June 2011

Bangui — TAIFA Stars saw their hopes to reach the 2012 African Cup of Nation finals hit the snag after they went down to a 2-1 defeat against hosts Central African Republic (CAR) in an intriguing return leg encounter here on Sunday.

CAR deservedly went ahead after 38 minutes when Momi Hilaire beat Taifa Stars’ goalkeeper Shaaban Kado with a power packed shot from just inside the box to give the hosts a 1-0 lead at half-time.

Kado picked up an injury after he over-stretched himself as he attempted to save Hilaire’s shot and although he managed to finish the first 45 minutes, he couldn’t return for the second half and was replaced by Shaaban Dihile.

Taifa Stars coach Jan Poulsen reshuffled his striking force after the restart, Norway-based striker Athumani Machupa and TP Mazembe ace Mbwana Samata came on for John Bocco and Mwinyi Kazimoto.

The changes had a massive impact to the Stars’ game as they started to command the proceedings but failed to convert good chances against the CAR and they were lucky not to go two goals down when the hosts turned the tides, with Hilaire narrowly missing out having skipped past Shadrack Nsajigwa shortly after the hour mark.

Stars were back on offensive and the equalizer did eventually come in the 76th minute when Nditi combined well with Machupa, before the former silenced the home crowd with a well taken effort.

Lifted by their equalizer, Stars obtained the second goal through Machupa, only for Ghanaian referee Lamtey Joseph to rule it out, claiming the scorer had fouled his opponent before sending the ball into the back of the net.

Having escaped, CAR scored the winner in the last few minutes of the game via Dope Kouloyene. The slippery pitch left Nsajigwa down, allowing Kouloyene to beat Dihile.

That result means CAR are second in the group behind Morocco on goal difference – both teams have seven points. Tanzania are third now ahead of Algeria on goal difference.

Stars needed nothing but a win to keep pace for the top spot after Morocco came out stronger with a 4-0 victory over Maghreb rivals Algeria on Saturday in another group D encounter of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Marrakech.

The victory, the biggest suffered by the Fennecs in recent times moved Morocco to the top of an incredibly tight Group D of the continental qualifiers with seven points.

Goals from Mehdi Benatia and Marouane Chamakh in the first and Yousouff Hadji and Oussama Assaidi after the break ensured the maximum points for Morocco and served a perfect revenge for the Atlas Lions who lost by a lone goal in the previous encounter last March, Taifa Stars’ next game will be at home against Algeria, to whom they forced an away 1-1 draw last year.

They will also travel to Morocco to face the Atlas Lions, whom they lost 1-0 at home on September 9, last year.

Stars lined as follows: Shaaban Kado, Shadrack Nsajigwa, Idrisa Rajab, Aggrey Morris, Nadir Haroub, Shaaban Nditi, Mwinyi Kazimoto, Nurdin Bakari, John Bocco, Nizar Khalfan, Mrisho Ngasa.

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