M. KisengeFormer Harambee Stars coach Amrouche helps Tanzania punch ticket to AFCON 2023
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Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 08.09.23. | 09:02
Three more qualifiers will be played today
Former Harambee Stars head coach Adel Amrouche inspired Tanzania to punch a ticket to the Africa Cup of Nations finals slated for next year in Ivory Coast after holding the 2019 champions Algeria to a barren draw at the 19 May 1956 Stadium on Thursday night.
The point gained was all that Tanzania needed to finish second in group F behind Algeria who topped the pool with sixteen points, eight more than the tally Amrouche's charges managed.
Algeria had already qualified by virtue of winning the past five rounds of qualifiers and even managed to test some of their fringe players in the duel.
Tanzania needed a win or a draw of any kind in a territory that has proven tough for visiting teams so as to qualify and that is exactly what Amrouche and his troops delivered.
Following the favourable result, Tanzania will return to the AFCON finals for the first time since 2019 and it will also be their third ever appearance in the biannual showpiece.
The point gained away in Algeria also meant that Uganda will miss the forthcoming edition of the AFCON after finishing third in pool F despite beating Niger 2-0 in Morocco.
Uganda placed third in the pool with seven points with Niger finishing last with two points against their name.
Tanzania will be the sole East African nation in the AFCON finals as the rest stand no chance of qualifying.
Kenya did not participate in the qualifiers as the country was under FIFA suspension by the time the matches got underway.
Initially, Kenya had been placed in pool C alongside former champions Cameroon, Burundi and Namibia.
It will definitely be a proud moment for Amrouche who won the CECAFA Senior Challenge with Kenya in 2013 to guide Taifa Stars back to the finals.
Amrouche took over in March this year and has been working with Kenyan strength and conditioning coach Michael Igendia since July.
With group F qualification over, all eyes will be on the remaining qualifiers, specifically those set for Friday evening.
Three matches will go down today with former champions Egypt taking on Ethiopia at the June 30 Stadium in Cairo.
Egypt are already through to the finals by virtue of being pool D toppers with twelve points. Ethiopia will be playing for pride as they are already out.
Guinea will qualify as the group runner up as the West Africans have nine points.
Burkina Faso will play Eswatini in a pool B game while Mali will invite South Sudan.
1.30 Burkina Faso 5.20 Eswatini 13.0
1.22 Mali 6.50 South Sudan 13.0
