Tanzania reignited their hopes for 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification with a decisive 2-0 victory over Ethiopia at the Stade des Martyrs on Saturday.
First-half strikes from Simon Msuva and Feisal Salum secured a crucial win for Hemed Morocco’s Taifa Stars, who were seeking redemption after last month’s 2-0 loss to group leaders DR Congo.
The result marked Tanzania’s second victory in the qualifying campaign and kept their aspirations for a place in the tournament alive.
Coming into the match, Tanzania had accumulated just four points from four games, trailing second-placed Guinea by two points.
Ethiopia, meanwhile, faced an uphill battle after suffering three consecutive defeats.
The Taifa Stars made their attacking intent clear from the outset.
Msuva had an early chance to open the scoring, but his close-range header sailed over the bar in the sixth minute.
Minutes later, another opportunity went begging when the forward failed to capitalize on a defensive miscue from Ethiopia’s Said Habtamu.
Ethiopia responded with a threatening effort from Abdulkarim Worku, whose shot narrowly missed the right post in the 10th minute.
However, Tanzania’s pressure soon paid off.
Msuva found the back of the net in the 15th minute, heading home from a well-delivered corner to give his side the lead.
Tanzania continued to press and doubled their advantage on the half-hour mark.
Salum’s persistence paid off as he scored on the rebound after Habtamu saved his initial header.
The commanding performance saw Tanzania enter halftime with a comfortable 2-0 lead.
The Taifa Stars maintained control in the second half, with captain Mbwana Samatta testing Habtamu at his near post in the 62nd minute. As the match progressed, tensions between the two East African rivals flared, leading to heated exchanges and a brief on-pitch altercation between players.
Ethiopia came close to narrowing the deficit in the closing stages.
Worku’s shot in the 80th minute grazed the right post, while Ramkel James failed to keep his header on target just two minutes later.
Despite their efforts, the Walia Ibex could not find a way past Tanzania’s resolute defense.
The victory gives Tanzania a vital three points as they aim to secure a spot in next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.
With momentum now on their side, the Taifa Stars will look to build on this performance in their remaining fixtures.
