CHAN: Tanzania respects Morocco, but we’re not afraid – Suleiman

Tanzania national team head coach Hemed Suleiman has discussed their next challenge in the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) against Morocco at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Friday.

Taifa Stars progressed to the knockout stages with an unbeaten run to finish Group A with 10 points. Tanzania recorded wins against Burkina Faso (2-0), Mauritania (1-0), and Madagascar (2-1), alongside a 0-0 draw with the Central African Republic.

They will face off against a two-time CHAN champion Morocco, who started off their group campaign with a 2-0 win against Angola, floored Zambia 3-1 before suffering a 1-0 defeat against Kenya. While tied on six points with DR Congo, Morocco needed a win to advance against the same side, and they emerged 2-1 winners.

“We respect them (Morocco), but we’re not afraid. I know the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium will be full, because the Tanzanian people now believe in their team,” said Suleiman ahead of the battle.

“The key thing is preparation and making sure we play our game well. Morocco are a strong and good team, no doubt. But there’s a saying that if you want to be champions, you must beat the best. That’s our slogan.”

He added: “We have known from the beginning that we could face a team like Morocco. Our group was competitive, but we have done well to reach this stage and we aim to continue that form. This is a knockout match. When you get a chance, you must take it. We have worked hard on our finishing and offensive movement.”

Suleiman concluded: “We have gained a lot of experience in African football. We are no longer just participating, we are competing,” he said. “I urge them to continue believing in their team. There is no easy match at this level, whether it’s Morocco or any other side.”

Taifa Stars have shown steady progression throughout the CHAN, scoring five goals in four matches while conceding a goal.