The Mainland champions were kicked out of the championship at the
quarter-final stage on Wednesday after losing by 4-3 on shootouts to
three times champs El Merreikh of Sudan.
The coach says his boys tried everything possible during their game but would not find the needed breakthrough.
He says when a football game comes to shootout stage, then victory
is open to either side and his team is just like any other loser in
such circumstances.
“There is no player to blame as those who missed the penalties did not do so deliberately,” says Omog.
Azam’s approach to the tournament exit started when defender
Shomari Kapombe had his penalty kick (the fourth) hit a crossbar while
El Merreikh player finished his turn successfully, before new sign up
Saint Preux Lionnel advanced to horribly wind up the business.
Lionnel had his penalty saved by El Merreikh goalkeeper as Azam trailed by a difference of one penalty.
John Mwamtika, Didier Kavumbagu and Erasto Nyoni scored their
penalties and goalkeeper Mwadini Ali had saved El Merreikh’s opening
penalty.
Kapombe has never missed a penalty in Azam’s practice sessions and he was highly expected to convert his during the day.
Pundits here urge that why the coach did not pick up Michael
Ballou as one of the penalty takers owing to his power-packed shot and
accuracy.
Ballou scored one of the four Azam goals during a final group stage
game against Ethiopia’s Adamma City releasing a volley from 25 meters
last Saturday.
Azam secured the opportunity to represent Mainland Tanzania after
five-times champions Young Africans were dumped by the Council of East
and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) on grounds of fielding
‘second string players’.
The ice-cream makers were making their second appearance in the
Kagame Cup after reaching the final of this event way back in 2012.
The Mainland champs will also compete in the next year’s edition of the event at a venue and country to be known later.
Azam are on their way back home to gear up for the Mainland premiership title defence next month.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN