The Tanzania U20 men’s national football team kicked off their AFCON U20 campaign on a sour note, falling 1-0 to South Africa in their opening match held today at the Suez Canal Stadium in Egypt.
The only goal of the match came in the 30th minute, scored by South Africa's Shakeel April. Despite several efforts, Tanzania was unable to find an equalizer, and the scoreline remained unchanged through the full 90 minutes.
Speaking after the match, head coach Boniface Mkwasa admitted the team made critical errors, particularly in the first half, which cost them the game.
"We made a mistake in the first half and conceded a soft goal. In the second half, we fought hard, created several chances but failed to convert them. We’ll return to the training ground and work on our weaknesses ahead of the next match," Mkwasa said.
Despite the loss, Mkwasa remains optimistic about the team’s chances in the tournament, pointing out that they still have more matches to play.
"This is just the first game. We still have three matches ahead of us. Even during the qualifiers, we lost the opening match but eventually made it through. We can bounce back," he added.
Tanzania’s Ambassador to Egypt, Major General Richard Mutayoba, offered words of encouragement to the team, urging them not to lose confidence after the defeat.
"Don’t be discouraged and don’t blame each other. In the second half, you had clear chances and could have scored two or three goals, but luck wasn’t on your side," he said.
He assured the players and technical staff of the government's continued support.
"We are here for you. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to reach out. We believe in your potential to progress to the next stage and even bring the trophy home," Mutayoba concluded.