{"id":344651,"date":"2011-03-28T13:02:18","date_gmt":"2011-03-28T13:02:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/03\/28\/tanzaniacentral-african-republic-stars-face-car-epic-battle\/"},"modified":"2011-03-28T13:02:18","modified_gmt":"2011-03-28T13:02:18","slug":"tanzaniacentral-african-republic-stars-face-car-epic-battle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/28\/tanzaniacentral-african-republic-stars-face-car-epic-battle\/","title":{"rendered":"Tanzania\/Central African Republic: Stars Face CAR Epic Battle"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nTanzania Daily News<\/a> (Dar\u00a0es\u00a0Salaam)\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Japheth Kazenga<\/p>\n

25 March 2011<\/p>\n

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NATIONAL soccer team, Taifa Stars, hosts visiting Central African Republic (CAR) in a crucial first leg match of the 2012 AFCON qualifiers at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Saturday, with the home side needing nothing but victory to revive hopes of progressing to the next year’s finals.<\/p>\n

Stars will be meeting the CAR for the first time ever in the major continental soccer showpiece and, with both sides having no knowledge of each other, plenty of entertaining action is expected to be on show as they seek the much needed three points.<\/p>\n

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Stars are currently placed third in group D of the qualifiers with a point from two matches, having forced an away 1-1 draw with Algeria in the first match before succumbing 1-0 to Morocco in the second match played at the National Stadium on October 9, last year.<\/p>\n

The hosts’ head coach, Danish Jan Poulsen has already voiced optimism on his team’s chances to emerge victor today as he is banking on intensive preparation the squad had undergone prior to the game.<\/p>\n

Poulsen is glad to have secured the services of three professional players Idrissa Rajab (Sofapaka, Kenya), Henry Joseph (Kongsvinger IL, Norway) and Mohamed Abdallah Machupa (Vasalund IF, Sweden), who are expected to bolster the side in all three aspects of defence, midfield and attack.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Although the absence of three other professionals Abdi Kassim, Daniel Mrwanda (DT Long An, Vietnam) and Nizar Khalfan (Vancouver Whitecaps, Canada) has left him with a rather limited option in terms of deploying experienced players following the failure by the trio to honour their invitation to play for Stars, the coach has vowed to focus on the available squad to fight for a win.<\/p>\n

While Stars will be eyeing victory over the CAR to secure maximum points and stay in contention for a place in the finals, the former needs to win by huge margin whilst praying Algeria beat their North African rivals Morocco when the two sides meet in another group D qualifier on Saturday.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Victory by the Algerians will help Stars slightly move up the standing, but the latter’s comfortable victory over the CAR will be much more crucial to boosting their goal aggregate. Algeria is at the bottom of the standing with a point from a draw and a defeat.<\/p>\n

The CAR currently enjoys the driver’s seat in the group after collecting four points from two matches, followed by Morocco at the second position with the same number of points but having an inferior goal difference with the former.<\/p>\n

The group leaders opened their campaign by forcing a surprise away barren draw with Morocco before grabbing a stunning victory over Algeria in the second match to emerge as a surprise package in the race.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The CAR head coach, Accorsi Jules, said his side will fight for better results today despite lacking opportunity to play competitive friendly matches. His lack of knowledge on his opponents’ potential will not stand in the way of the CAR’s desire to win, he added.<\/p>\n

With Stars still having slight hopes of turning around their fortunes in the qualifiers, they will once again be under huge pressure to perform well in front of the home fans, who are expected to turn up in their numbers and cheer the home lads.<\/p>\n

Stars’ first and only presence in the AFCON finals was way back in 1980 when the event was hosted by Nigeria and the former has since then been searching for another stint but in vain. Domestic soccer fans’ desire to see their side qualify for the second time now looks stronger than ever and that poses much challenge to the Poulsen lads.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, one of Stars’ main sponsors, the National Micro-Finance Bank (NMB), presented sports kits worth 6m\/- to the squad in Dar es Salaam yesterday as part of morale boost ahead of today’s clash.<\/p>\n

NMB official Imani Kajura presented the equipment to the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) General Secretary, Angetile Osiah, at the federation’s headquarters. The equipment includes jerseys, soccer shoes, track suits, casual wears, goalkeeping gloves, shin guards and team officials’ attires.<\/p>\n

“We believe better equipment helps greatly in boosting players psychologically. NMB is still ready to fully cooperate with TFF and other soccer stakeholders in supporting Taifa Stars and we urge others to do the same”, said Kajura.<\/p>\n

Osiah thanked NMB for their support and insisted that Stars’ chances to make significant progress in the qualifiers and other major international assignments rely much on support from both firms and well-wishers.<\/p>\n

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\nTanzania\/Central African Republic: Stars Face CAR Epic Battle<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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