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Wednesday November 22, 2023
Uganda’s Rodgers Mato celebrates his goal against Somalia. PHOTO/FUFA
Tanzania’s Taifa Stars lost their second game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, after going down to 2022 Qatar semi-finalists Morocco at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Goals in each half from Hakim Ziyech and then Youssef En-Nesyri, who both starred at the 2022 World Cup were enough for the Atlas Lions and would have been more but Achraf Hakimi missed a penalty.
The Dar es Salaam clash was the Moroccans’ opener in Group E after their first scheduled opponents, Eritrea, withdrew from qualifying and they sit top on goal difference, just ahead of Zambia despite their defeat in Niger.
After the hosts raced into a 2-0 lead before the half-hour, following goals from Amadou Moutari and Boubacar Goumey, Zambia halved the deficit early in the second half through Leicester City’s Patson Daka but could not find an equaliser.
Meanwhile in Berkane, Morocco, Uganda, coached by former Harambee Stars head coach Paul Put bounced back from their opening day defeat by beating Somalia 1-0.
Forward Rogers Mato struck in the fourth minute but, after Abdi Mohamed was sent off for a second booking on the stroke of half-time, Put’s Cranes could not add to the scoreline despite dominating the second half.
In the same group, Botswana beat Guinea 1-0 to register their first win thanks to Kabelo Seakanyeng’s 79th-minute strike in Francistown.
Uganda and Botswana are both three points behind Group G leaders Algeria, who have won their two opening qualifiers.
Elsewhere, Aston Villa forward Bertrand Traore came off the bench at half-time to help Burkina Faso to a 3-0 away win against Ethiopia in neutral Morocco as the Stallions recorded their first win in Group A.
Blati Toure swept in a Traore corner at the near post in the 69th minute and, after Traore had added a second from the penalty spot nine minutes later, Bournemouth’s Dango Outtara wrapped up the scoring in the final minute.
The West Africans go second in Group A, ahead of Guinea-Bissau on goal difference, and are two points behind leaders Egypt.
In another duel, a late Youssef Msaki penalty was enough to give Tunisia a 1-0 win against Malawi in Group H, which the Carthage Eagles now top on six points ahead of Equatorial Guinea on goal difference, with Namibia on three points after a 2-0 triumph ‘away’ against Sao Tome e Principe in Agadir.
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