Minnows stealing the show at 2023 AFCON finals

However, in what is a marked departure from the past, the small fry of continental football has left football enthusiasts open-mouthed with their fearless approach in duels against African football’s established heavyweights.

Indeed, this bold and determined mindset has paid dividends for continental football’s weak teams thus far at the ongoing AFCON Finals in Ivory Coast, which is proving to be a real treat.

Consider the football duel between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, which took place during the competition’s early days.

With numberless football buffs expecting Nigeria to mercilessly trounce Equatorial Guinea, it was the latter, who seized the lead to the utter astonishment of football fans across the continent. 

Now on the back foot, the Super Eagles of Nigeria swiftly drew level less than two minutes later when the Eagles’ ruthlessly prolific attacker Victor Osimhen netted the equalizer, which ensured that both teams finished the engrossing encounter with a share of the spoils.

If that result was not jaw-dropping enough for you, there were delightfully more flabbergasting results to come.

Indeed, in the showdown between traditional title contenders Ghana and the lowly Cape Verde, it was the latter, who would set tongues wagging after claiming a sensational 2-1 win over the Black Stars.

At this point in the pulsating AFCON finals, it is difficult to gaze into a crystal ball and successfully predict that more jaw-dropping results are on the cards.

Nevertheless, it is unimpeachably true that the so-called lightweights of continental football have made sublime contributions to the thrilling football spectacle that is continuing to unfold in the Ivory Coast.

Let us now sink our teeth into the domestic sporting arena which has long been bedeviled by a lack of funding.

In a bid to successfully address this quandary, the President recently called upon sports stakeholders, well-wishers, and would-be corporate sponsors to donate funds that will bankroll the participation of our various national sports teams in a plethora of hugely esteemed sporting championships.

Thus far, the enormous sum of 800m/- has been raised although this is still admittedly smaller than the whopping sum of 4.7bn/- which has been pledged by various sponsors and sports stakeholders.

Indeed, it is hoped that more would-be sponsors will financially throw their weight behind our various sports teams which could potentially heighten our chances of gaining medals at august sporting competitions.

Let us end now with some encouraging tidings for all Tanzanians from the AFCON finals in Ivory Coast where our Taifa Stars claimed a hard-earned draw with the erstwhile African champions Zambia last Sunday.

Taifa Stars had been on course to claim what would have been a morale-boosting victory after taking an early lead in the 11th minute via a Simon Msuva strike.

Unfortunately, though, Zambia leveled the match in the 88th minute through Patson Daka which left legions of Tanzanians with their hearts sunk.

Nonetheless, Taifa Stars’ impressive display was a distinct improvement on their opening match of the tournament, which saw them humiliatingly lose 3-0 to the Atlas Lions of Morocco.

Hope springs eternal then that the Taifa Stars will be able to outclass the DR Congo in their last Group F clash.