NAIROBI, Kenya, February 7, 2026 – Tanzania Under-20 Women’s national Team head coach Bakari Shime has accused Kenya of deliberately selecting a poor playing surface to gain an advantage in the first leg of their U-20 World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
Shime suggested the condition of the Ulinzi Sports Complex pitch affected the quality of football and made it difficult for his players to execute their game plan, arguing that the environment did not favour technical play.
“Many people noticed the state of the pitch, it wasn’t suitable for good football. I believe the choice of that surface was deliberate,” Shime said.
Despite the criticism, the Tanzanian coach admitted his side came into the match with a cautious approach, targeting at least a draw or a narrow loss to keep qualification hopes alive ahead of the return leg.
“Our plan was to protect ourselves and avoid conceding many goals. A 1-0 result is not big, we believe we can overturn it at home,” he added.
The hosts nicked a 1-0 win courtesy of Elizabeth Mideva’s strike in the 86th minute.
Shime maintained that Tanzania will be a different proposition in the second leg, stressing that better facilities at the Azam Complex will allow his team to express themselves fully.
He expressed confidence that his players can recover and secure qualification when they host Kenya on February 14 (next Saturday).
The heated remarks add fresh tension to an already fierce regional rivalry, setting up what promises to be a charged return leg as both sides battle for a place in the next round of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
