Photo Credit - Tanzania Football Federation.
Tanzania women’s national team coach Bakari Shime has applauded the players following their success to eliminate Ethiopia and qualify for the second stage of the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
Tanzania booked their spot in the next round with a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea in Malabo on Wednesday, sealing a 4-2 aggregate victory. In a nervy return leg, the hosts took the lead through Chuigoue Dorine Nina, but Enekia Kasonga levelled matters for Tanzania in the 73rd minute.
"My first words are to congratulate my players on this hard-fought draw, which secured our qualification for the second round. It was far from easy. We appreciate their dedication, even amidst the tough weather conditions,” said Shime as quoted by the Guardian.
“In my entire coaching career, I've never seen so many free kicks conceded against my team, which shows just how difficult this match was. I applaud their resilience. They stuck to the plan despite having to adapt at the last minute. We know we have a long way to go, but I'm truly proud of this group.”
Twiga Stars will now face Ethiopia, who progressed after eliminating Uganda, in the second round. Notably, Uganda and other CECAFA Zone teams - including South Sudan, Djibouti, Burundi, and Rwanda—were eliminated from the competition.
Kenya qualified to the stage following their 1-0 away win against Tunisia and will now face Gambia. A total of 38 African nations are competing for one of 12 available spots in the final phase, with Morocco automatically qualifying as the host nation.
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