Sports

Kim promises to attack ‘Mambas’

SENIOR national soccer team, Taifa Stars, head coach, Kim Poulsen.

TAIFA Stars will be out to play an attacking game in Maputo on Saturday with a view to dispatching Mozambique out of the second round of the 2013 African Nations Cup (AFCON) Qualifiers, the former’s head coach, Kim Poulsen, has said.

Stars managed a 1-1 draw with Mozambique in the first leg match played at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on February 29, this year, and nothing but victory over the Southern Africa opponents will guarantee Stars progression to the third and final round of the qualifiers.

Kim said Stars have no other option than playing an attacking game so that they could score the much needed goals, to overcome Mozambique and ultimately keep alive hopes of landing a second berth in the finals of the continental event.

“We are going to Mozambique to play attacking game. It is an important game which you need to attack and score goals that can help team qualify for the next stage,” he said. “We need to go there to attack… if you look at our last game, only defenders scored our goals but in Maputo we need to see our strikers score the goals,” added Kim.

Stars defenders, Shomari Kapombe and Erasto Nyoni, were on target as the team edged Gambia 2-1 in the group C’s second match of the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers, African Zone, played at the National Stadium last Sunday. Kim noted that he has been doing all he can to improve the game approach of his side’s talismanic striker, Mbwana Samata so that the latter can be more of a team player and eventually contribute immensely to the team’s success in Maputo.

“I have tried to work with Samata. I tell him not to run with the ball too much (because) at the end he will be tired and lose the ball. But I believe he can score in Maputo,” he said. “In a game played in Dar es Salaam, it lasted 1-1 and now we are playing away…we need to score to go through…may be Mozambique is stronger than we previously played but we are at our best. I believe we can beat them,” he added.

The Danish further expressed delight at the return of several key players, who were sidelined by injuries and suspension, saying the players’ return is a timely boost for the squad. “Aggrey (Morris) is back from suspension... Nurdin (Bakari) and (Thomas) Ulimwengu are fully fit.

When you have the previously suspended and injured players back in the team, it gives you hope that you are going to win. The obvious missing are Mwadini (Ally), (Waziri) Salum and (Nassor Masoud) ‘Cholo,” he said. Stars are expected to jet off to Maputo on Friday morning ready to face their hosts on Saturday.  Winners of the second round of the qualifiers, which will total 14, will then join the finalists of the 2012 AFCON to complete the list of 30 teams that will battle it out in the third and final stage of the qualifiers.

The 30 teams will then play the third round through the direct knockout system in home and away matches to determine 15 teams that will join hosts, South Africa, for the 2013 AFCON finals.