Berkane, Morocco – As the sun wan dey set for Berkane, excitement dey rise for fans as Mali ready to face off with Tanzania for di second Group C fixture of di ongoing TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). Match go kick off by 8:00pm local time. Dis wan go hot!
Back in 2010, di two sides meet for di WAFCON, and na Mali win dat match 3-2. Four goals score between 25th and 32nd minutes – talk about excitement! But plenty don change since den. Mali don miss two editions before dem come back for di 2016 edition, but e no go beyond group stage. Fast forward to 2018, di West Africans don reach semifinal wey dem finish fourth, highest for di tournament history. As for Tanzania? Na dem first time dem dey back since 2010. Talk about long vacation from di big stage!
As Mali dey waka out from di tunnel, na im dem go come ready to show say dem belong. Dem don set new records with 20 goals during di qualification rounds and only concede three goals. Na wetin we call serious discipline! Aïssata Traoré, di dazzling midfielder wey dey represent Fleury 91, make am clear say, “E dey always honor to rep our nation. We ready to start on high note.” Make we no forget, her coach, Mohamed Saloum too gatz mindset right in order to take di team to di next level.
For Tanzania, dem carry di weight of di entire East Africa on dia shoulder. Dem be di only team from dat side, so pressure dey! Anastazia Katunzi, di vice captain of di Twiga Stars, no get hiding place, her morale dey high. She talk say, “It don’ take long since we show face for WAFCON. Di coach don do him homework, now na di time to show wetin we fit do.”
But di match fit no dey easy because Tanzania go miss star player Clement Opa who dey suspended and Clara Luvanga wey dey under medical review. Opa score three goals during qualification including one wey dem use scatter Côte d’Ivoire! Head coach Bakari Shime gatz depend on di likes of Stumai Abdallah and dem other players to fit hold di ground against a strong Mali side.
As dem dey prepare for dis match, all eyes go dey on di field, wey dey showcase African women’s football in di most spectacular way possible. Plenty drama dey await, and we dey ready to see who go shine!
