An executive committee member of Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), Mbasha Matutu has declared that the country is not bothered by the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations draw that pulls them against Nigeria in Group A, as he says their team will beat the Golden Eaglets.
Although Nigeria’s Eaglets are ranked high favourites to win the group and the completion all together, Matutu stated emphatically in a telephone chat with sports247.ng that The Serengeti boys of Tanzania will beat Nigeria next year.
Matutu added that it would be a solid way to announce their potentials on the continental youth scene, especially as they are hosts of the 2019 U-17 AFCON, which he says they want to use as stepping stone to the global level.
With that in mind, Matutu says Tanzania will beat the Eaglets on their way to qualifying for the 2019 FIFA U17 World Cup in Peru.
Following the U17 AFCON draw that pitched Tanzania alongside Nigeria, Angola and Uganda, Matutu told sports247.ng from Dar-es-Salaam that the country has already started preparing to host well and win the competition too.
Matutu also pointed out that Tanzania’s under-17 squad will have ex-Eaglets’ coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, who won Chile 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, to assist them with immense technical knowledge that would help them overcome the team from his own country, Nigeria.
He added: “Apart from the good preparation we have given the Serengeti boys, the Tanzania U17 team will benefit from the wealth of experience of Tanzania national team coach, Emmanuel Amuneke who is also the technical consultant to the various national football teams of Tanzania.”
