Mobhare Matinyi, The Citizen, Friday, 17 February 2012.
Our neighbours, Zambians, are now the champions of the African Cup of Nations, an honor we can only dream of. What did they do that we cannot do?
Zambians have also achieved several records that would take us decades to break, assuming that Zambians and other nations in our region don’t achieve anything substantial in the most prestigious continental tournament. This is more than wishful thinking.
One interesting record is the number of appearances in the finals, 15 out of 28 finals, while we have only made one. No other team in the two regions of eastern and southern African has accomplished this feat. The closest are Ethiopia (9), Sudan (8) and South Africa (7).
One interesting record is the number of appearances in the finals, 15 out of 28 finals, while we have only made one. No other team in the two regions of eastern and southern African has accomplished this feat. The closest are Ethiopia (9), Sudan (8) and South Africa (7).
Speaking of regions, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) divides the continent into five regions: UNAF for North Africa, UNIFFAC for Central Africa, WAFU for Western Africa, COSAFA for Southern Africa to which Zambia belongs, and CECAFA for Eastern Africa, to which Tanzania belongs.
Currently, the region with the most titles (10) is the North with Egypt alone having seven, then Central (7), West (7), Eastern (2) and now Southern (2). Notably, for a couple of decades CECAFA included some of the southern Africa nations until 1992 when COSAFA was established.
Thus, Zambia also becomes one of the only four nations in the COSAFA-CECAFA region to have ever won the championship, others being Ethiopia, Sudan and South Africa in 1962, 1970 and 1996 respectively. In total, only 14 African nations have won the trophy.
Zambia also becomes the only team in the COSAFA-CECAFA region to have played in the final match three times since the tournament became a biennial event in 1968. Apart from 2012, Zambia did so in 1974 and in 1994, a year after the tragic plane accident that wiped their entire nation team in the skies of Gabon.
Zambia, together with Sudan from the COSAFA-CECAFA region, has also held the runner-up position twice while Ethiopia, Uganda and South Africa have each done so once. Zambia has also held third place three times while Ethiopia, Sudan and South Africa have each accomplished this once.
Ethiopia and Sudan are showing up in these records mainly because, when the tournament was first held in 1957, only three teams, Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan, took part. The tournament continued with only a few teams as an annual event until 1968.
Looking back at various pairings between Tanzania and Zambia in the qualifying rounds of the same tournament, Tanzania eliminated Zambia in 1979 to qualify for the 1980 finals in Lagos, the only time Tanzania has played in the finals.
It was Peter Tino who leveled the score in Lusaka to 1-1 to write history for Tanzania after a previous 1-0 victory in Dar es Salaam. By then the finals had eight teams but we failed to advance to the semi-finals after losing 3-1 to Nigeria and 2-1 to Egypt and tying 1-1 with Ivory Coast.
Currently, the region with the most titles (10) is the North with Egypt alone having seven, then Central (7), West (7), Eastern (2) and now Southern (2). Notably, for a couple of decades CECAFA included some of the southern Africa nations until 1992 when COSAFA was established.
Thus, Zambia also becomes one of the only four nations in the COSAFA-CECAFA region to have ever won the championship, others being Ethiopia, Sudan and South Africa in 1962, 1970 and 1996 respectively. In total, only 14 African nations have won the trophy.
Zambia also becomes the only team in the COSAFA-CECAFA region to have played in the final match three times since the tournament became a biennial event in 1968. Apart from 2012, Zambia did so in 1974 and in 1994, a year after the tragic plane accident that wiped their entire nation team in the skies of Gabon.
Zambia, together with Sudan from the COSAFA-CECAFA region, has also held the runner-up position twice while Ethiopia, Uganda and South Africa have each done so once. Zambia has also held third place three times while Ethiopia, Sudan and South Africa have each accomplished this once.
Ethiopia and Sudan are showing up in these records mainly because, when the tournament was first held in 1957, only three teams, Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan, took part. The tournament continued with only a few teams as an annual event until 1968.
Looking back at various pairings between Tanzania and Zambia in the qualifying rounds of the same tournament, Tanzania eliminated Zambia in 1979 to qualify for the 1980 finals in Lagos, the only time Tanzania has played in the finals.
It was Peter Tino who leveled the score in Lusaka to 1-1 to write history for Tanzania after a previous 1-0 victory in Dar es Salaam. By then the finals had eight teams but we failed to advance to the semi-finals after losing 3-1 to Nigeria and 2-1 to Egypt and tying 1-1 with Ivory Coast.
In 2003, we met Zambia again in Group 3 matches for a slot in the 2004 finals. We lost to Zambia 1-0 in Dar es Salaam and then 2-0 in Lusaka.
Our group also included Benin and Sudan and we lost all matches.
Frankly, Tanzania has been one of the worst performers in this championship with several withdraws in the 1980s and 1990s.
Our group also included Benin and Sudan and we lost all matches.
Frankly, Tanzania has been one of the worst performers in this championship with several withdraws in the 1980s and 1990s.
The story has been the same in the World Cup qualifying rounds where we have met Zambia once in an attempt to make it to the 1994 finals, but we lost 2-0 in Lusaka before withdrawing.
As both Tanzanian Mainland and Zanzibar, we know Zambia very well from the CECAFA Challenge Cup, in which Zambia participated from 1973 to 1992, winning the championship in 1984 and 1991.
As both Tanzanian Mainland and Zanzibar, we know Zambia very well from the CECAFA Challenge Cup, in which Zambia participated from 1973 to 1992, winning the championship in 1984 and 1991.
Currently, Zambia may occasionally participate as a guest team only. Mainland won the Challenge Cup in 1974, 1994 and 2010 while Zanzibar won it in 1995.
Overall, Tanzania Mainland has played Zambia seven times in the CECAFA, winning twice, losing four times, and drawing once. The last time when Mainland met Zambia in November 2010 in Dar es Salaam, Mainland lost 1-0, but luckily we ended up winning the trophy.
Our brothers in Zanzibar have the worst memories with Zambia including one in which they lost 8-0 in Mwanza in the 1992 Challenge Cup. This was the Zambian team that perished in the 1993 plane crash.
When we met in the 2009 African Nations Championship for home-based players in Cote d’Ivoire, the match ended in a 1-1 tie with Zambia scoring in the injury minutes. Sometimes we aren’t that bad but why can’t we match Zambia’s record?
We may meet Zambia again in the 2012 Challenge Cup as Cecafa is planning to invite them again. But all in all, the message is clear for us Tanzanians: Our neighbours are far better than us. Why is this the case? Seriously, we have to learn something from our neighbours
When we met in the 2009 African Nations Championship for home-based players in Cote d’Ivoire, the match ended in a 1-1 tie with Zambia scoring in the injury minutes. Sometimes we aren’t that bad but why can’t we match Zambia’s record?
We may meet Zambia again in the 2012 Challenge Cup as Cecafa is planning to invite them again. But all in all, the message is clear for us Tanzanians: Our neighbours are far better than us. Why is this the case? Seriously, we have to learn something from our neighbours
1 comment:
Uchawi si ishu michezoni bali vipaji na kujituma ndiyo ishu.
Post a Comment