U-17 AFCON: Tanzania coach cautious despite strong start

Following the Tanzania U-17 national team’s impressive 3-0 victory over Mozambique to begin their 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (U-17 AFCON) campaign in Morocco, the Serengeti Boys technical bench has called for focus and improvement ahead of their next crucial group stage match against Angola.

🎥 HIGHLIGHTS: 🇹🇿 3-0 🇲🇿

A dominant display from Tanzania against Mozambique. 🤩#TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 pic.twitter.com/GMe32cNnpv

— CAF Online (@CAF_Online) May 14, 2026

Speaking after the match, the coach admitted that despite the convincing scoreline, the encounter was not easy as Mozambique posed several challenges, especially physically.

He explained that Mozambique’s players were physically stronger and at times slowed the pace of the game, creating pressure on Tanzania’s young squad. However, he praised his players for remaining composed and taking advantage of the opportunities they created throughout the match.

The coach noted that although Tanzania secured an important win, there are still several areas that require improvement before facing Angola in the next fixture.

He described Angola as a much more dangerous opponent, particularly because of their speed, aggressive attacking style and ability to transition quickly in offensive situations.

According to the coach, the technical bench will now focus on correcting mistakes observed against Mozambique while preparing the players tactically and mentally for the challenge ahead.

He stressed that the team must remain disciplined and avoid becoming overconfident after the opening victory, insisting that the tournament is still at an early stage.

The coach also called upon Tanzanians to continue supporting and praying for the team as they pursue their dream of reaching the knockout stage for the first time in history.

“We thank God for the victory, but the work is not finished yet. We still have important matches ahead and we must continue improving,” he said.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tanzania Football Federation (@tanfootball)

Serengeti Boys currently top Group C with three points following their win over Mozambique, while Mali and Angola each collected one point after drawing 0-0 in their opening match.

Tanzania will face Angola U17 in their second group stage match on May 17 at 16:00 EAT, with another victory likely to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the knockout stage and potentially securing a place at the FIFA U17 World Cup.

The young Tanzanian side arrived in Morocco aiming to make history after previous appearances in 2017, 2019 and 2025 ended at the group stage.

Their confident performance against Mozambique has already raised hopes among football fans that Serengeti Boys can emerge as one of the tournament’s surprise teams if they maintain their discipline and continue improving in the remaining matches.