Tanzania Taifa Stars head coach Emmanuel Amuneke castigated the manner by which his players expressed themselves in the 3-2 loss to rivals Kenya during the famous East African derby at the 30th June Stadium on Thursday night.
Tanzania took a 5th minute lead through Difaa Hassani El Jadidi football club’s pacy winger Simonhappygod Msuva.
They lost the lead in the 38th minute when Michael Ogada Olunga’s spectacular acrobatic over head volley.
The job was short lived as Mbwana Samatta restored their lead with a clinical finish inside the goal area a minute later to take the half time bragging rights.
Kenya recovered swiftly and scored two second half goals through Cercle Bruges’ dread-locked midfielder Johanna Omolo Ochieng who headed home Ayub Timbe’s corner and Olunga’s long range low drive won the won.
A visibly bitter Amuneke cast the blame game on inexperience, heavily criticizing his players for careless display throughout the game especially at a time they took the lead twice
The former Nigerian international who also played at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and later played for Spanish giants FC Barcelona denigrated the quality of football by the Taifa Stars at AFCON hinting on missing character, maturity and lack of competitive spirit.
We paid the price for not managing our advantage. We committed a lot of mistakes at the BACK-LINE. There is no character in the team. We did not come to compete. The bottom line only remains that we qualified for AFCON after so many years (39 years).
Emmanuel Amuneke, Nigeria Head Coach
“Every team wants to go far but in reality we are lacking a lot in character, character” he fumed.
Open criticism on Tanzania Premier League:
The gaffer also took a slap on the quality of the Tanzania Premier League, the main feeder of players to the Tanzania national team.
The Tanzania league does not offer enough competition. There are only two serious clubs Simba and Young Africans. In football, you need a lot of experience to compete. This has been an eye opener to us. In reality, fall two or three times in football, then, you raise up. These players must be able to interpret the game.
Our being here (At AFCON 2019 in Egypt) does not inspire us. But an experience we learn about how to improve. We learn from the teams in Egypt. We need players that are coachable and players who can grow with the team. We need to improve as a team. Football is a continuous business. A tournament like AFCON comes and goes. There is a stage in life where you have to acquire experience. We have to develop our players beyond talent.
Tanzania took the lead through Morocco based winger Saimon Happygod Msuva who turns out at Difaa Hassani El Jadidi.
Kenya neutralized the matters in the 38th minute when Japanese based striker Michael Ogada Olunga who features at Kashiwa Reysol Football Club acrobatically executed an over-head kick.
Tanzania restored their lead as talisman Mbwana Samatta clinically finished past goalie Patrick Matasi.
Kenya turned around the game in the second half with Olunga’s second goal and well as Johanna Omolo Ochieng to earn maximum points.
Hamid Mao Mkami was introduced for Yahya Abbas Mudathir and lanky forward John Raphael Bocco came on for Thomas Ulimwengu as Tanzania sought for a break through.
Defender Erasto Edward Nyoni limped out as the second half neared its climax with Frank Domaya coming on.
Tanzania will face Algeria and Kenya take on Senegal in their respective group C last matches.
With six points under their bag, Algeria has already qualified.
Senegal and Kenya each have three points. Tanzania is bottom with no point fetched in two matches.
