Tripo9
JF-Expert Member
- Sep 9, 2009
- 4,352
- 3,533
| Dar boys get down to business | Send to a friend |
| Sunday, 18 November 2012 10:46 |
By Majuto Omary The Citizen Reporter Dar es Salaam. Talk and vibe off the pitch is done and now it is time to let the football talk on the pitch. Days of anxiety come down with a fixture of the qualifying weekend, the national U-17 soccer team, Serengeti Boys at home to Congo Brazzaville at the National Stadium this afternoon.The first leg, final round qualifying match of the 2013 Africa Youth championship kicks off at 4pm, and Serengeti Boys have vowed to grab the three points at stake in what promises to be a pulsating encounter. Serengeti Boys head coach, Jakob Michelsen said yesterday that his boys will take the game to Congo Brazzaville and voiced optimism that the qualifier will produce positive results for his team. As I said early this week, its not going to be easy. The key has been to prepare the players mentally and I think they are there. Their response has been positive, said Michelsen. Congo Brazzaville are a strong side as those who saw them in the first and second rounds of this tournament can attest. But well see how it goes. If we play as a team we will get positive results. I trust my boys to get the results we need to be on the verge of the finals. We are ready for the challenge, the Dane added. He assured local fans that his boys will capitalise on the home ground advantage and make Tanzanians proud. The return leg match will take place in Brazzaville two weeks later. His assistant Jamhuri Julio Kihwelu had similar views, adding that nothing will stop the home team from overcoming the central Africans. The outspoken coach asked Tanzanians to turn up at the venue in large numbers today to cheer Serengeti Boys. In football, fans are regarded as a 12th player for the home team. A mammoth crowd at the National Stadium tomorrow (today) will raise the spirits of our players and frustrate our opponents, said Kihwelu. He also accused the Congo Brazzaville technical bench of having some players who are over age in its squad. Congo Brazzaville head coach, Eddie Hudanski, on the other hand, said his players were aiming to put up a spirited fight to progress into the next round. Our target is to book a place in the finals. We can do it but it is going to be difficult. It is going to be tough especially considering that we will be playing away, but we are more than ready for the match, said Hudanski. Congo Brazzaville qualified for this stage at the expense of Zimbabwes Young Warriors. |
