Coaches of Tanzania’s national women’s football team, Twiga Stars, and their Malawian counterparts have both expressed strong determination to secure victory in the return international friendly match scheduled for June 6 at the KMC Complex in Dar es Salaam.
Their remarks follow Twiga Stars’ narrow 1-0 victory over Malawi in the first friendly encounter played at the same venue.
Despite the win, both sides agreed that the match was closely contested, with several missed scoring opportunities that could have changed the outcome in either direction.
Twiga Stars head coach Bakari Shime said the opening match provided an important assessment opportunity for his team, highlighting both strengths and areas that require improvement ahead of the second encounter.
He noted that although the team’s preparation period was relatively short, the match helped them better understand Malawi’s playing style and tactical approach.
Shime added that the focus now is on refining tactical organization, improving coordination in the final third, and correcting the mistakes observed in the first match.
He emphasized that the return fixture will be used as a key step in preparing the team for upcoming international competitions, including the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers.
On the other side, Malawi head coach Lovemore Fazil praised his players for their resilience and overall performance despite the defeat.
He said his team created enough chances to get a positive result but failed to capitalize on them, which ultimately made the difference.
Fazil noted that inefficiency in front of goal proved costly, as Twiga Stars were more decisive in exploiting defensive lapses.
He said Malawi will return to training to work specifically on finishing, decision-making in attacking areas, and maintaining concentration throughout the match.
The upcoming return friendly is expected to provide another competitive test for both teams as they continue fine-tuning their squads for future international duties.
Both coaching benches have indicated that they expect a more intense and tactical encounter, with each side aiming to make clear improvements from the first meeting.
Football supporters in Dar es Salaam are expected to attend in good numbers, anticipating another tightly contested match between two of the region’s competitive women’s national teams as they build momentum for upcoming challenges.
