Africa-Press – Tanzania. TAIFA Stars unbeaten run in Qatar FIFA World Cup qualifiers was dealt a blow yesterday after painful 1-0 home loss to Benin at Benjamin Mkapa stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
The first loss of the campaign also plunged Stars deep down to the third position after staying at the top for over a month. Taifa Stars who were leading with four points are now third-placed as Democratic Republic of Congo defeated Madagascar 2-0 in Lubumbashi to claim the second position with five points.
The loss has handed Taifa Stars a tall order as they are required to win away in Cotonou if they want to reclaim the top position Still despite the loss, Taifa Stars were capable of killing the match early in first half, if they had converted three golden chances they created.
Benin moved top of Group J in the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after a precious 1-0 win away to Tanzania at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Thursday evening.
Taifa Stars will rue their missed chances, especially one that fell on Saimon Msuva in the first half. The Morocco based striker had a glorious chance in the 22nd minute when off a long ball he looped over the keeper with a cheeky header. However, he took a weak shot at goal with a sliding Cedric Hountondji scrambling back to block the effort.
After going down, Tanzania gave their all in search of an equaliser. Substitute Abdul Hamisi Suleiman came close twice late on, first his ferocious shot from the edge of the area coming off the bar while his second two minutes later was saved by the keeper. Few minutes after the kick-off time, Benin picked a foul.
This was after Bakari Mwamnyeto from Tanzania fouling Jodel Dossou of Benin and allowed Benin to set through for a free header from the free-kick. However, the attempt was saved well by goalkeeper Aishi Manula.
Taifa Stars responded strongly in the 20th minute, by a quick counter-attack from Simon Msuva who lobed the ball above Benin goal keeper Saturnin Allagbe quickly scissored the ball with his left foot but it was saved by Benin’s defender David Kiki and amazed the Tanzanian side as it was too close to sail behind the net and give Tanzania a lead.
Minutes before the end of the first half, Youssouf Assogba was shown a yellow card for misconduct. In the second half, Tanzania made few changes: Kibu Denis replaced Novatus Dismas in the 46th minute, Kibwana Shomari replaced Israel Mwenda, and Reliant Lusajo replaced John Bocco, both in the 60th.
In the 72nd minute, Benin got their goal through Steve Mounie, who fired a long shot out of the penalty box and sank into the goal. Seven minutes after the conceding the goal, Mbwana Samatta made a set through to Feisal Salum, where he earned a passable attempt but was blocked by Benin defender Oliver Verdo and awarded Stars a corner, but it did not bear fruit.
The Danish tactician Kim Paulsen made changes in the 87th minute in the Tanzanian squad, Abdul Suleiman replacing Feisal Salum and Meshack Abraham replacing Simon Msuva.
The change added strength to Taifa Stars seeking an equalising goal in the 87th and 89th minutes, but both attempts did not give them a goal.
Among the dangerous moves Taifa Stars made was Abdul Suleiman’s attempt in the 87th minute immediately after he stepped in the pitch and made a long-range shot, but the shot hit the crossbar.
At the Stade de Martyrs in Kinshasa, goals from Chadrac Akolo and skipper Dieumerci Mbokani gave the DR Congo a 2-0 victory over Madagascar to move second in the group with five points. Akolo broke the deadlock in the 35th minute with a well taken low shot into the box.
He picked up the ball from a poorly defended corner, played a one-two with Mbokani before shooting into the bottom left.
The Congolese had dominated the game with Mbokani and Cedric Bakambu coming close before the opener.
They however got the second in the 79th minute when Mbokani converted a penalty after Edo Kayembe was clipped inside the box.
