TANZANIA has secured the first spot in the knockout stages of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Madagascar.
The decisive match, held at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, saw striker Clement Mzize score both goals for Tanzania in the first half. Despite a goal from Madagascar in the 34th minute, Mzize's two goals were enough to seal the win and guarantee Tanzania's progression in the tournament.
Structure and Initial Approach
Head coach Hemed Suleiman (pictured) made
one change from the side that beat Mauritania, with Abdulrazack Hamza replacing
Yusuph Kagoma to anchor the midfield in a 4-3-3 formation.
Hamza sat deepest in midfield, operating
behind Mudahir Yahya and Feisal Salum, with the latter taking on the most
advanced role as the creative hub.
Tanzania’s midfield spacing was designed
to stretch the pitch, creating 1v1 scenarios for their wingers against Malagasy
fullbacks.
The wide players often drove the ball to the touchline before cutting it back into the box, aiming for advancing midfielders arriving late.
Goals and Attacking Patterns
The first goal came directly from this
wing-oriented approach. Iddi Selemani 'Nado' dribbled to the touchline on the
left and pulled the ball back to Yahya at the edge of the box.
Yahya’s strike struck the post, and Mzize
reacted quickest to fire in the rebound.
Tanzania’s second goal showcased a
well-rehearsed set-piece routine. The Taifa Stars crowded the penalty area,
drawing defenders toward the near post.
From a corner, Feisal delivered a low ball into that space, and Mzize pounced to double the lead with a sharp finish.
Midfield Shift and Vulnerabilities
Hamza’s injury shortly after the second
goal forced Suleiman into an early tactical reshuffle. Shekhan Hamisi replaced
him, with the system shifting from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1.
Yahya and Feisal dropped into a double
pivot, while Hamisi operated as the advanced midfielder.
This adjustment, however, created defensive
issues. Neither Yahya nor Feisal is a natural holding midfielder, which left
gaps in front of the back four.
Madagascar exploited these spaces, finding players between the lines with ease. The absence of midfield cover in the cutback zone led directly to their goal: a combination play in midfield ended with the ball being worked to the right wing, where a cutback found Mika Razafimahatana unmarked to finish first time.
Defensive Adjustments
To shore up the midfield, left-back
Mohamed Hussein tucked inside when out of possession, forming a temporary
three-man midfield.
The wingers also narrowed their positions,
marking inside to block central passing lanes.
In the build-up phase, the ball-side
fullback often stayed deeper to assist in progression, ensuring Tanzania
maintained numerical stability at the back.
If the fullback advanced, one of the
holding midfielders would drop into the vacated defensive space to maintain
structure.
Mzize’s Positional Fluidity
A key feature of Tanzania’s attack was the
positional rotation of Clement Mzize. His movement across the central striker
role, wide channels, and even deeper attacking midfield zones made him
difficult to mark.
This constant rotation disrupted
Madagascar’s defensive assignments and created openings for runners from
midfield and the opposite wing.
This was a performance of two halves for
Tanzania dominant and clinical in the opening period, then forced into
defensive problem-solving after Hamza’s injury.
While Madagascar found some success
exploiting the midfield gaps, Tanzania’s early precision in attack and
structural adjustments in defence ensured they held on for a famous win.
With qualification secured, the Taifa
Stars will look to refine their midfield balance ahead of the knockout stages,
while continuing to utilise their wing play and set-piece effectiveness as key
offensive weapons.