Gamondi (Tanzania Coach): "I Lived in Morocco for Years and Know the Pressure from the Fans, But We Need to Believe in Ourselves and Work Hard"

Miguel Gamondi, head coach of the Tanzania national team, acknowledged the formidable challenge of their upcoming match against Morocco next Sunday (17:00 GMT+1) in the Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16. He emphasized the importance of managing fan pressure effectively to maintain his players' focus.

Speaking to the official channel of the Tanzanian Football Federation on Thursday during the team's training session, Gamondi stated, "We will play against the host nation, in front of approximately 80,000 spectators who will strongly support them. However, we need to believe in ourselves, work hard, and take things seriously, just as we have done so far."

"I lived here for years and I know the pressure the fans exert, but sometimes this pressure can also work against them. The important thing is to deal with the pressure well," Gamondi added.

He continued, "In any case, it's a beautiful match to play, and football itself is a wonderful game. We want to enjoy it, and we aim to raise the level of Tanzanian football and improve its standards, because Tanzania is a great nation and its football still requires a lot of development."

Gamondi concluded, "Over the past few years, we have started to improve, and this confirms that as a footballing nation, we are growing. Today, we have earned the respect of many people in Africa, and even the Africa Cup of Nations is followed in Europe and South America. I have received very positive comments and beautiful opinions about our team."

He finished by saying, "I am surprised because we have surprised many people. The level we displayed against Nigeria and Tunisia was not easy, and the image of Tanzanian football has significantly improved."