Tanzania eye history as CAR seek farewell pride at CHAN 2024

When Tanzania and the Central African Republic (CAR) take to the pitch at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Saturday night, they will do so from opposite ends of the spectrum.

For Tanzania, it is an opportunity to script an unprecedented chapter in their football history – four straight wins at the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN).

For CAR, it is about leaving with dignity and proving that their first taste of the competition was not in vain.

Ngato’s apology and a call for honor

CAR coach Sebastien Ngato has already admitted that his team’s campaign has been a disappointment, but he insists their final outing carries meaning.

“Regarding our last match, we would first like to apologize to our fans and our people for the results we achieved, which we didn’t expect,” he said.

“We wanted to see how things are done in this competition, and we had to be strong, compete with the other teams, and live up to their standards. I think we didn’t play the previous matches to discover the competition, as we said. We actually played hard.”

For Ngato, the clash against the hosts is not just a farewell, but a matter of pride.

“Our last match is our farewell. At least it shouldn’t remain that way. As a matter of honor, we should return with at least one point.

"It’s true that we didn’t achieve our goal in the tournament, but we must get a point in our last match, even though we’re playing against the host country. We know that football will always be football, and we will try to play our farewell match.”

No pressure, just freedom to play

Despite three defeats, Ngato is keen for his players to end with their heads held high.

“As a coach, I say that we will play comfortably against Tanzania and try to exploit our strengths,” he said.

“The players have rested and regained their capabilities over the past two days. We will not play with frustration, but with the same determination. This is football, and what has happened has happened.

"Tanzania will be under pressure and we will play without it. If we think about the fans, things will not work out for us. We will depend on the players and will not think about the fans.”

The coach acknowledged a familiar weakness that dogged their campaign: “Our problem in the 2024 CHAN tournament was our final touch, meaning scoring.

"In all our previous matches, we created chances that we didn’t convert into goals. That was the problem. We will continue to work and try to work with the attackers to score.”

Guessi finds positives in painful debut

Midfielder Donald Guessi chose to look at the bigger picture despite the team’s struggles.

“Regarding me personally or our national team’s participation in this tournament, I would say that my fellow players and I learned a lot. We weren’t at our best and lost three matches, but if we look at the positive side, we weren’t bad. I’m sure we’ll come back stronger in the upcoming competitions,” he said.

“We will play our match against Tanzania with all our might. We will play it with the spirit of football, and we will try to achieve the three points.

"We feel confident and are aware of our current situation. It is true that we were eliminated from the competition, but we will play with honor and pride for our country.”

 

Suleiman speaks only of winning

On the opposite bench, Tanzania coach Hamad Suleiman is already thinking of history, not survival.

“We are the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals. This is a good thing and has given us great confidence,” he said.

“Everyone wants to achieve victories and succeed in any competition. We have to play this final match and put the finishing touches on our matches in this group. We are focused on winning, and every player who participates in the match will focus on that. Everyone is eager to win.”

He also showed respect for his rivals: “The match will be difficult against the Central African Republic. They are a good team with determination.

"We know their good and strong style of play, and even if we qualify, we want to win the match. We are aiming for three more points, and our opponents want that too. We will see what happens in the 90 minutes.”

“We want to write new history”

For Suleiman, the incentive stretches beyond just topping the group.

“I believe it’s not just about achieving a result, but also about writing a bright history. We’ll try to enjoy the game,” he explained.

“I’m under no pressure, and our players are relaxed. Our opponents want to win and not leave the country without a win. I also know they’ll play defense.”

Manula takes pride in Taifa Stars’ rise

Goalkeeper Aishi Manula echoed his coach’s determination, framing the match as a symbolic moment for Tanzanian football.

“Our team has qualified for the next stage. I believe we will make history because it is the first time we have won three consecutive matches. We will write new history in this competition in the next match, in which we are focused on winning,” he said.

“Africa now knows who Tanzania is. In club competitions, our teams have reached a high level, and the continent expects our national team to reach advanced levels in this tournament. Things are progressing rapidly. We are on an upward trend at the club and national team levels.”