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CAF
7 hours ago
- Sport
- CAF
Opa Clement: 'Tanzania will be back'
Tukumbuke. To remember in Kiswahili. Opa Clement Tukumbuke. Remember her name. The Tanzania captain, whose lone goal against the reigning African champions South Africa, ensured that the Twiga Stars registered their first ever point at the TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations in two appearances – 2010 and 2025. Born in Mbeya, southwestern Tanzania, Opa as she is commonly known back home, is the current face of Women's Football in the East African nation. The 24-year-old is living her wildest dreams having worn the armband in the two games that she played – against South Africa and Ghana in Morocco. A childhood dream come true – playing at the biggest stage on the continent and representing over 67 million Tanzanians at home and across the world. She will remember the experience. 'For all of us that played at this WAFCON, this was our first time to feature at the tournament. We came here with the sole goal of going to the final, but we fell short. We did not fail because we leave here with so many lessons learnt. We feel that we represented our nation with honour. We gave everything that we could and at least out of the three games, we scored two goals and gained a point against the defending champions South Africa. That is something. Our plan is to come back to the WAFCON,' Opa says with hope for the future on her face. A WAFCON to remember From leaving Tanzania with the weight of a nation, to having their faces beamed to the world and the prestigious feeling of leading her teammates onto the fields in Berkane and Oujda in the Oriental Province of Morocco, Opa admits that this will always be an unforgettable feeling. The Twiga Stars like their nickname Twiga which means giraffe stood tall in their performances, displaying a never-give-up attitude and overall creating memories that they will hold onto as they return home after the group stages. 'We leave here with the understanding of tournament football. How you start sets the pace for the rest of the tournament. Against Mali, we felt that we did everything that was possible to win but conceded a late goal. Against South Africa, we scored first and against Ghana, we came from behind to equalize but then conceded three more goals. We shall take the lessons. We are going back home to assess our performance and to plan for the future. Future success 'guaranteed' Tanzania have been building their grassroots structures in recent years focusing on scouting talent across the country and opening clear pathways for the juniors to progress to the senior national team – the Twiga Stars. In the last five years, Tanzania have amassed regional titles while accumulating experience from across the continent. The Twiga Stars won the CECAFA Women's Championship last month at home in preparation for this WAFCON. They previously won the 2021 COSAFA Women's Championship after beating Malawi in the final in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape in South Africa. Their junior team won the 2020 COSAFA U17 Women's Championship in Port Elizabeth before they won the inaugural UNAF U17 Women's Championship last year held in Tunisia where they drew with the hosts and defeated both Egypt and Morocco. Jamila Mnunduka, who captained the U17s last year, has since been elevated to the U20s and remained in her captain's role while also featuring for the Twiga Stars at this WAFCON. 'Honestly, it has been a great pleasure for me to play for Tanzania at this WAFCON. I feel so honoured and grateful for this very special opportunity. I still cannot believe that I am playing alongside my role model Opa [Clement]. I used to see her on television and now I am sitting with her. It feels unreal but I am grateful and trying to take in every moment,' Mnunduka says with a big smile on her face. She continues, 'Every time that we play at the junior level, she texts and calls me to encourage me before and after the match. I know that I have a big sister who believes in me and that means a lot to me as a young player.' Mnunduka says that playing football has given her the opportunity to travel and see the world and that winning trophies is something that she wants to continue doing for Tanzania. 'We want to be consistent at this level. We want to come back to the WAFCON.' 'We leave Morocco having learnt so much. Seeing and being in games with all these great players in the opposing teams has taught me that I must continue working hard. The WAFCON is a whole different level. Against Ghana, when we conceded the four goals, it showed us that the weighing scale was not balanced. We must correct that.' Another teenager who impressed the head coach Bakari Shime despite losing to Zambia 0-4 over two legs in the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup 2025 Qualifiers is Lidya Maxmillian Kabambo. At 16, she started all three of Tanzania's Group C matches at this WAFCON. Kabambo came off the bench in Tanzania's opener against Mali before starting both games against South Africa and Ghana. According to Shime, Tanzania's plan is to further expose the teenagers to prepare for a future transition when veterans like Anastazia Katunzi eventually decide to call it a day. The assistant captain Katunzi was voted as one of the top three players within the squad by the head coach, coaching staff and players in three separate voting opportunities to showcase her versatility, leadership and overall excellence. Tanzania will face Ethiopia this October in the last round of qualification for the TotalEnergies WAFCON 2026 edition that will also be held in Morocco in March next year.
CAF
2 days ago
- Sport
- CAF
WAFCON 2024: DR Congo, Tunisia, Tanzania, Botswana Bow Out with Grit and Glory
As the 2024 CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) enters the quarterfinal stage, four teams—DR Congo, Tunisia, Tanzania, and Botswana—exit the competition, but not without leaving a lasting impression through memorable performances and unwavering determination. Botswana's Comeback Falls Just Short Despite a spirited 2-1 comeback win against Tunisia, Botswana's journey ended heartbreakingly on July 14 in Casablanca. With hopes of a quarterfinal spot still alive, the Mares watched their fate slip away after Ghana's commanding 4-1 victory over Tanzania secured the final qualification ticket. Botswana had fallen behind 1-0 at halftime but rallied with resilience and unity to turn the game around. Though their elimination stung, the team departed with heads held high, having showcased immense character. Flavine Mawete's Moment of Brilliance In front of 21,000 Moroccan fans at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Flavine Mawete delivered one of the tournament's most iconic moments. Facing a sea of red and green support for the host nation, the DR Congo winger held her nerve and unleashed a stunning left-footed strike to equalize against Morocco, momentarily silencing the crowd. The 25-year-old's goal stood out not just as a technical feat, but as a symbol of defiance and belief, earning her a place in the hearts of fans and in the annals of the tournament. Tanzania Push Defending Champions to the Brink The Twiga Stars nearly caused a major upset against reigning champions South Africa. Opa Clement gave Tanzania a deserved lead in the 24th minute, capitalizing on their disciplined defensive shape and the industrious midfield work of Diana Msewa. South Africa struggled to break through until the 70th minute when Bambanani Mbane salvaged a 1-1 draw with a powerful strike from a poorly cleared corner. The result felt like a moral victory for Tanzania, who proved their mettle against elite opposition. Tunisian Fans Bring Home Atmosphere to Morocco Tunisia may not have advanced, but their supporters were among the loudest of the tournament. Over 1,700 kilometers from Tunis, the stands at Stade Père Jégo in Casablanca echoed with chants, flags, and unrelenting support for the Carthage Eagles. 'We felt their energy from the warm-up,' said captain Chaima Abbassi after their final match. 'It gave us a tremendous boost.' The fans' passion turned every Tunisian fixture into a home-like atmosphere, further fueling their players' performances. A Brave Exit, A Promising Future Though their WAFCON 2024 campaigns have ended, the efforts of DR Congo, Tunisia, Tanzania, and Botswana have enriched the tournament. Each side exits with pride, having fought valiantly and inspired many with their heart, passion, and progress.
CAF
2 days ago
- Sport
- CAF
Boye-Hlorkah comes alive to lead Ghana to quarters
Under the bright lights and the self-inflicted weight of expectation at the Berkane Stadium on a demanding Monday night in Group C of the TotalEnergies WAFCON 2024, Ghanaian midfielder Chantelle Louise Boye-Hlorkah stood tallest as the Woman of the Match in a must-win tie against Tanzania. The 29-year-old midfielder maintained composure from start to finish, showed leadership and great decision making as Ghana showed character to defeat Tanzania 4-1 and book their well-deserved position in the quarterfinals of the continental competition. Boye-Hlorkah Magic Vocal via word of mouth on the field of play but more importantly Boye-Hlorkah lets her actions with and without the ball speak for her. Ball control, game reading and timely interceptions describe her approach to the beautiful game. Against Tanzania, she owned the midfield. She frustrated Diana Msewa who is the heart and soul of the Twiga Stars midfield and was Woman of the Match in their 1-1 draw with the reigning champions South Africa. It was not just the numbers on the stat sheet for Boye-Hlorkah. It was the timely tackles, positive energy and overall experience that were crucial for Ghana. She made routine look elegant with the manner in which she transformed text book training ground moves into easy-to-execute runs during the game. 'Today, I was in a comfortable role. I like the wing but I like being involved more in my natural position. I am glad to have played a little bit everywhere. A more familiar role for myself. I am so happy. The award could have been given it to any of my teammates. I want to thank the coach for playing me in this position, my teammates and the staff for the support,' she said with an ear-to-ear smile after the game. She dictated play, hi-fived or tapped her teammates on the back for encouragement and generally gave the traveling Ghanaian fans in the stands something to cheer about. The many Berkane citizens too joined in whenever she had the ball on her feet. Beginning of a new era In 13 editions, this is the seventh time that the Black Queens have progressed to the knockout stages at the WAFCON and have now made it four out of four against East African opposition. 'I am just proud, so proud of the girls. I try and lead. I am very vocal on the pitch. I try and push the team as much as I can. The girls picked me up too. I told them that we are not going to win this game without playing as a team. I am so proud of Ghana, of the fans. I am so proud to be Ghanaian,' Boye-Hlorkah said passionately after the game yet to catch her breathe. 'Wow. Wow. Wow,' the Anfield-born midfielder who was given more freedom in her midfield role on Monday said with absolute admiration of her teammates in what she said was a memorable day for this team that was on the edge of losing everything had they not emerged victorious. Just four players in the current squad had ever played at the WAFCON. The new generation includes Boye-Hlorkah who is featuring at her first WAFCON. 'Growing up through the England system meant that I was eligible to play for my country of birth but I always knew that I wanted to play for Ghana. I am just so grateful to be here playing for Ghana.' Quarterfinals here they come With this result, Ghana have now recorded nine wins, a draw and a loss in their final group stages fixtures at the WAFCON. Princella Abudea opened the scoring in the 12th minute before Alice Kusi scored her second goal of this edition to make it 2-1. Evelyn Badu came off the bench to make it 3-1 before Boye-Hlorkah sealed the comfortable victory to make it Ghana's first time to score four goals at the WAFCON since the 1998 edition. Despite the goal and impact of the eventual result, Boye-Hlorkah admitted that, 'I always want to achive the most. The final result. The end goal is to win it all. The result means everything. I said that we would score more than one or more goals. We got the performance. I am more proud of the performance than the result.' 'We were not playing to their game. When we are actually playing football, combine with each other. When we got it down, we were able to play. The result is amazing, the performance even better. The girls put in a great shift.' The Ghanaian contingent in the stands watched the entire game on their feet, encouraging the players on the field, waving the nation's flag at every opportunity and could be seen in the end just visibly relived that they made it to the knockout stages for the first time since 2016 when the Black Queens finished in third place. Monday's win marked the first victory for Ghana after taking the lead in two games at the current finals. Ghana will take on Algeria in the last eight on July 19 at the Berkane Stadium.
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Banyana determined to end Wafcon group stage with strong victory
Banyana Banyana will battle against Mali on Monday night to determine which of the two teams will finish at the summit of Group C before the quarterfinals. After a stuttering display against low-ranked Tanzania in which they were forced to come from behind to secure a 1-1 draw on Friday (11 July 2025), Banyana Banyana are out to end their Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) group phase in a more assured manner. Centre-back Bambanani Mbane spared South Africa from defeat against the determined Twiga Stars with a goal in the 70th minute. This after the Tanzanians had set the tone and attacked the South Africans from the onset during an inspired first half when they opened the scoring. In the end, reigning African champions Banyana Banyana salvaged a crucial point. The draw against the Twiga Stars has since proven to be good enough for Desiree Ellis's side to reach the quarterfinal stage with a game to spare — no matter the outcome against Mali. The top two teams in each of the three groups qualify for the knockout phase. Then two more nations make it via the back door, qualifying as the best third-place finishers. This means that even if the South Africans suffer an unlikely drubbing to Mali on Monday, 14 July, it won't affect their passage to the next round. At worst, they will be one of the best losers. Back to winning ways Nevertheless, Ellis says her team is fully focused on claiming victory even though a draw would also be sufficient for Banyana Banyana to top Group C. They currently lead the mini-league due to having a superior goal difference to the Malians — who are also on four points after two games. 'We can get a point, but to play for a point is very dangerous. As long as I can remember, when we needed a draw, we've never gone to play for a point because you get caught. I've seen it happen to big teams… So, we're not that kind of team that will take it out of our hands,' Ellis said. The Banyana Banyana coach, who is also a founding member of the South Africa's senior women's soccer side, says they are not too focused on how Mali will prepare for the match. Instead they are looking more at how they can recover from the Tanzania stutter and enter the quarterfinals on a winning high. 'Not sure what they are going to do, obviously we'll see when the game starts how they set up. Whether they sit deep or whether they come. But we have it in our hands to top the group, so we want to make sure that we win the game,' stated Ellis. Rotating the team Ellis also came in for some criticism for the number of changes she made to her starting lineup for the Tanzania clash. The Cape Town-born tactician made four changes from the team that beat Ghana in their tournament opener. One of those alterations was bringing in goalkeeper Kaylin Swart for Andile Dlamini. This despite the latter being crucial in the 2-0 win against the Black Queens. After the Tanzania draw, Ellis played down the impact of the changes on the team's performance — saying she had a big and versatile squad for a reason. One of Banyana Banyana's three captains for Wafcon — Amogelang Motau — also defended Ellis's squad rotation, especially considering the quick turnaround between matches at the continental tournament. 'Off the field, we are a very solid team. We are going through a transition. We are making it look seamless, but it is not. There's going to be a lot of player rotation. There are new players coming into the team. There are good seniors who are guiding us,' Motau said. For keeping Banyana Banyana's opponents guessing, the rotation is a positive tool to have. But constant alterations that are not necessitated by injury or suspension can hamper the forging of team chemistry on the field — especially in the knockout phase. It remains to be seen which players Ellis will trust from the start against Mali on Monday for the 9pm kickoff. But the message is clear from the coach: any of her players can accomplish the mission for Banyana Banyana. DM
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Ghana face Tanzania for do-or-die clash for 2024 Wafcon group C
Di final group C game for di ongoing Wafcon between Ghana and Tanzania go happun on Monday night. Na do-or-die match; di winner go fit qualify for di quarterfinal of di tournament sake of di two teams gat one point each from dia first two games. Both teams sabi say dem no fit do mistake for dis ogbonge game, sake of defending champions South Africa already bin qualify afta 2 wins from 2 games, and dem go play against Mali for di oda group C match. Di black queens so far dey struggle to score goals afta dem bin score only one goal from 31 shots for dia two games. Di twiga stars of Tanzania also bin score only one goal from dia two group games. But for dis match, di two coaches go put tactics for ground and hope say dem go find di luck wey go help dem score goals. If both teams play anoda draw today, dem go pack dia bags and comot di tournament. For di black queens - dem bin lose 2-0 to defending champions Banyana Banyana wia dem draw 1-1 wit di female eagles of Mali for di second game. Na so di twiga stars of Tanzania lose dia first game 1-0 to Mali wia dem draw 1-1 wit South Africa for di second match. Dem score first thru Opa Clement Tukumbuke for di first half bifor South Africa bin equalise afta di 70th minute. Wetin di two coaches tok Head coach for di Twiga stars Bakari Shime believe say im team fit build on dia 1-1 draw wit defending champions South Africa, for dis game against di black queens. "From di way we play dat match, e don give us confidence," oga Shime tok wey CAF online don quote. Shime also bin get im goalscorer Opa Clement Tukumbuke available for di game; im believe say she fit lead her girls to victory. "We to play dis last group game, na very important game for both teams but for us especially." Im add say "we gat one point so far wey we dey look forward to get 3 points wey go make us qualify for di next round." "We sabi Ghana well well, we don follow dia two games; but we wan walk away wit 3 points, we wan go forward, na so we go try to achieve our aim," Bakari Shime tok for pre-match press conference. For di black queens coach Kim Lars Björkegren, to comot di Wafcon for di group stage na shame. Im tok say im go keep to dia plan for dis game. "We gat everitin for our hands to win dis game v Tanzania. We bin dey hope to score more goals for our first two games, we gat di chances but we no fit do am." Im add say "I sabi say we dey good position, we for only win one game to play for di quarterfinal, we fit be second or third for di group, I still believe in our players. Back home, football fans and sabi pipo believe say coach Björkegren no deliver so far for di tournament, wey dem dey fear say Tanzania go comot Ghana. But di players say dem go try to make di fans proud for dis one. Head-to-head Dis Monday game na di first time Ghana and Tanzania bin dey face each oda. Both teams don score one goal for di Wafcon dis year, na only Tunisia and Botswana (0) no score any goal at all. Ghana neva get clean sheet for dia last 7 games Tanzania na di second lowest ranked team for dis tournament ; dem bin dey 137th for di FIFA women's ranking wey Ghana bin Dey 66th. For dia last five Wafcon, Ghana don only progress from di group stage for 2016 when dem bin finish third but dem don comot for group for 2008, 2010, 2014 and 2018. Di Twiga stars bin qualify for di Wafcon only two times, di first for 2010 and then dis current edition. For 2010, dem bin comot for di group stage. Dis na chance to progress from di group stage for di first time. Tins don set between di two for dis ogbonge clash for Monday night. For Ghana, di coach go dey without striker Doris Boaduwaa wey bin assist di only goal for di black queens for di competition. She don play 180 minutes for competition but di coach go hope say oda players like Princess Marfo go fit cause wahala for di left wing of di Twiga stars. Princella Adubea wey be striker go replace Dori Boaduwaa as di target pesin. Adubea fit hold di ball well well wey she fit play as di arrow head for di Ghana attack for dis game. Midfielder Jennifer Cudjoe wey bin win woman of di match award v Mali also go start for di center, she go dey key for di Ghana coach. For di Twiga stars, dia captain Opa Clement Tukumbuke wey bin score dia goal v South Africa, go dey available to lead. Coach Bakari Shime hope say she go lead from di front togeda wit star player Clara Luvanga. Luvanga bin dey treat one ankle injury but she come back for dis game. Di Al-Nassr player wey emerge from di Tanzania U17, U20 ranks fit make her debut for di game. Di game go happun at 7PM GM (8PM WAT) for di Berkane stadium. Make una dey wit us for di live text commentary for di ogbonge game. At di same time, South Africa and Mali go play each oda.
