Morocco’s home-based national side face Tanzania in a highly anticipated quarter-final at the African Nations Championship (CHAN), with both teams eyeing a place in the last four.
Cameroonian referee Abdou Abdel Mefire will blow the kick-off whistle at 6:00 pm (GMT+1) at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, with a full house expected to back the hosts, and fans can catch the action live on BeIN Sports MENA, BeIN Sports France, and SuperSport.
Morocco arrive in the knockouts after finishing second in Group A. Their campaign began with a 2-0 win over Angola before a setback against Kenya, who beat them 1-0. Tarik Sektioui’s side recovered quickly, beating Zambia 3-1 and sealing progress with another 3-1 victory over DR Congo.
Tanzania topped Group B with an unbeaten record. They opened with a 2-0 win over Burkina Faso, edged Mauritania 1-0 and beat Madagascar 2-1 before drawing 0-0 with Central African Republic in their final group fixture. The Taifa Stars’ consistency has made them one of the surprise packages of the tournament.
Tanzania coach Hamad Suleiman insisted his players are not intimidated by Morocco’s reputation. “We respect them, but we are not afraid. We want to surprise them,” he said. He added that his side are “physically and mentally prepared to face any team” and highlighted the importance of tactical flexibility.
Defender Shomari Kapombe echoed his manager’s words: “On behalf of my teammates, we can say that we have prepared well. We are 100% ready. Morocco is a great football team, and this is an opportunity for us to show our capabilities.”
Sektioui, however, remains confident despite defensive absences. “We know this match is extremely important. It qualifies us for the semi-finals. We will overcome this stage, God willing, and live up to everyone’s expectations in Morocco,” he said. The coach added that “Tanzania will try to exploit our weaknesses, but we will also work to limit their strengths.”
Predicted Score:
Morocco to win. They have more experience and a stronger attack, which should see them through, even if the match is tight.
Let’s say Morocco 1-0 Tanzania (AET)
