AfricaPress-Tanzania: NATIONAL U-20 team, ‘Ngorongoro Heroes Head Coach, Jamhuri Kihwelo has noted how determined he is to rectify his team’s shortcomings before engaging in the AFCON finals in Mauritania.
The U-20 AFCON finals will be staged next year from February 14th to March 4th in Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott .
This will be the first edition in Africa U-20 Cup of Nations to have expanded to 12 teams instead of the usual eight in which the top four teams of the tournament qualify for the 2021 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia as the CAF representatives.
“We have seen our mistakes, we will correct ourselves and we will do something good and especially in the journey we are going to the basic one we intended we got.”
He noted these after the CECAFA U20 finals where the young Tanzania stars lost by 4-1 over Uganda the Hippos. Where he also commented regarding his team performance.
“We lost but I don’t want to put blame on any of my players who made any mistake. The fact is on the first half we fought hard and scored through the penalty kick.”
“We controlled the game in the entire first half until the break. We came back to the second half, I gave instructions to the youngsters but I saw my players could not deliver as I expected.”
“They lost rhythm of fight in the second half; they slowed down perhaps it was because they realized that they had already qualified for the AFCON Under-20 finals.”
“Also our rivals came up with a vengeance mentality since we took the cup from them so I would say we lost the game but it does not mean they were better than us.”
The Uganda Hippos coach Morley Byekwaso acknowledged Ngorongoro Heroes for displaying an outstanding quality.
Explaining that they were able to register their victory through the few changes they applied in the second half.
“I thank God, He has given us strength and we have worked hard to see that we have won our game. Tanzania has played well, in the beginning they were better and they could have beaten us.”
“After identifying a few shortcomings I made tactical improvements and pinpointed that Tanzania were fast and had good game tactical skills when they had the ball.”
He further applauded his players for delivering the same as he requested them.
“I was glad to see my players listened attentively to my instructions and delivered as I thought they would, at the end the efforts and changes bore fruits.”
