Hosts Tanzania on Saturday evening subdued the Bukinabe in a fast-paced, thrilling encounter at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, during the opening match of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN 2024) sponsored by TotalEnergies.
A clinically taken first-half penalty from forward Abdul Sopu and a commanding second-half header by defender Mohamed Hussein were enough to secure all three points for the Taifa Stars, much to the delight of the home crowd.
The result gives Tanzania a crucial early lead in Group A, which also features Burundi and the Central African Republic, while extending Burkina Faso’s unwanted record of never winning a CHAN opening match in their tournament history.
Tanzania began with intent, taking control of the early exchanges. Clement Mzize and Feisal Salum both forced Burkina Faso goalkeeper Ladji Sanou into action within the first 15 minutes as the hosts pressed high with confidence.
Burkina Faso, looking to counter, had fleeting moments of promise. Yakoub Suleiman was called upon to deny efforts from Souleymane Sangaré and Papus Ouattara, keeping the score level. The breakthrough came on the stroke of half-time. Clement Mzize was brought down in the box by Frank Tologo in the third minute of stoppage time, and Sopu coolly slotted the resulting penalty past Sanou, sending him the wrong way.
Burkina Faso made three changes at the interval, introducing seasoned campaigners Patrick Malo and Yves Koutiama to shift the tempo in their favour. However, it was Tanzania who continued to dominate the rhythm of the game.
The second goal came in the 71st minute following sustained pressure. Midfielder Mudathir Yahya floated in a precise cross from the right, and Mohamed Hussein rose above the defence to steer a bullet header into the net, doubling Tanzania’s lead.
Despite a late push from the West Africans, including efforts from Tertius Bagré and Ouattara, Burkina Faso failed to find the back of the net. Their attacks lacked accuracy and composure, allowing Tanzania to manage the final minutes with relative ease.
The result leaves Burkina Faso with work to do if they hope to reach the CHAN knockout stages for the first time in their history. Meanwhile, Tanzania will aim to maintain their momentum in their next group fixture.
With home support firmly behind them and a solid performance to build on, the Taifa Stars have made a bold statement of intent as CHAN 2024 gets underway.
This evening Kenya’s Harambee Stars make their debut opener in CHAN 24 against Tunisia at the Kasarani Sports Complex.
Source: SMG
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