ZANZIBAR HEROES EYES SEMIFINAL BERTH - TO FACE RWANDA

By DAILY NEWS Reporter, 

AS Zanzibar Heroes trade tackles with Rwanda in Monday's quarter-final of the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup at the National Stadium, the 1995 winners would be looking to book their places in the semi-finals for the fifth time in the history of the competition.

The Islanders alongside their Mainland brothers, Kilimanjaro Stars, scrapped through to the last eight on account of being best losers and for them to have any chances of making it to the semis, they will need to raise their game up against the Amavubi Stars, which is one of the competition's most impressive sides, Heroes go into the match against Rwanda, having racked up four goals in their three group matches and conceding three.

Nonetheless, Stewart Hall and his assistant Hemed Morocco would be hoping for a much improved display from the side and capitalize on the Tanzanian fans in the stadium.

Rwanda coach Sredejovic Milutin ‘Micho’ will be just as determined to push his Amavubi Stars to the semi- finals of the regional championship.

Rwanda beat Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Djibouti in the group stages to send a strong message across that they are not journey men on holiday, but a team on a serious mission.

With their leading striker Oliver Karekezi, leading the charts with four goals, the Zanzibar defence marshalled by Nadir Haroub and Aggrey Morris will have to be so alert at the back.

“Winning the trophy will be the biggest gift we can give people back home and we are going to fight for this,” said Karekezi.

The Zanzibar Heroes-Rwanda quarterfinal will be preceded by another thriller between Burundi and Sudan, scheduled to kick off at 2:00pm.

Sudan being the only team in the region having qualified for next month’s Africa Cup of nations will certainly be under serious test as they have not been that impressive, but showed that they can be dangerous when it matters most.

They sent Kenya packing in the last group game on Saturday to qualify for the last eight. “We are only preparing a team for the Africa Cup of Nations and this tournament is certainly helping us.

We are going to change our attitude come the quarter finals because it’s now knock out,” said Sudan’s coach Mohamed Abdallah Mazda who is returning to the touch line after serving a one match suspension.

Burundi’s Belgian coach Adel Amrouche told the 'Daily News' on Sunday that they are very ready and rearing to go against Sudan.

“Although they qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations, this is a different tournament and we shall give them no chance,” said Amrouche whose team has played some fantastic football to top group B in the early stages.

The tournament, the oldest in Africa, will continue with the other two quarter final games on Tuesday as Uganda Cranes face Zimbabwe and Malawi take on hosts and defending champions Mainland’s Kilimanjaro Stars.

SOURCE: http://dailynews.co.tz