Africa-Press – Tanzania. 2020 has been a year mixed with success and challenges, but an edge above the rest stood a brave fight against coronavirus scare, the success of the national U-17 and U-20 teams and return of boxing craze.
At club level Simba, the Tanzanian envoys in the CAF Champions League and the envoys in CAF Confederation Cup (Namungo) did well in the preliminary stage of the both tournaments and can qualify to play in the group stage do they win their final hurdles against FC Platinum and El Hilal EL Obeid on January 5th, 2021.
From what has been mirrored as success, sports enthusiasts hope that the New Year, 2021 would be better and more successful in sports.
Pugilist Hassan Mwakinyo has been very inspirational in professional boxing as since he made his mark in global arena in 2019, professional boxing has regained its stronghold in Tanzania.
Under the tutelage of Jamhuri Kihwelo, the national Under-20, Ngorongoro Heroes have qualified for the AFCON Under-20 finals to be held in Mauritania.
Tanzania and Uganda will represent the CECAFA zone. A few days later the National Under- 17 ‘Serengeti Boys’ sealed a place in the AFCON finals after beating Ethiopia in the CECAFA semis at Umuganda Stadium in Rubavu, Rwanda.
Serengeti Boys and Uganda Cubs will represent the CECAFA Zone in the finals to be staged in Morocco in 2021. The two competition finalists have both qualified for AFCON competitions which will be staged in Morocco next year from July.
Reports from Rwanda said that the two nations fought fiercely and completed the 90 minutes with a 1-1 draw and hence forced the referee to decide the game by penalties whereas Tanzania took the lead by 4-3.
Mbarak Mohammed, Abubakari Ramadhani, Abdallah Hamisi and Hijja Shamte were the Tanzanian’s heroes while Omari Bakari missed.
The 90 minutes of the game seemed to have been in favour of Tanzania after taking the lead in the first half of the game in the 37th minute; it was Omary Sultan who put the boys at lead after completing Abubakari Ramadhani long range free kick.
A month earlier Tanzania U-17 team claimed the Cosafa Women’s Cup for the first time after defeating Zambia 4-3 on penalties following a tightly contested 90-minute 1-1 draw in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Having won the maiden Cosafa U20 tourney in 2019, the Tanzanian girls eyed another success and won it.
