DESPITE a 3-1 victory over Equatorial Guinea at Chamazi Complex on Thursday, Tanzania's women's national team (Twiga Stars) coach, Bakari Shime, insists there's still work to be done to secure WAFCON qualification.

The Twiga Stars, favoured to win, faced a resilient Equatorial Guinea side, a two-time WAFCON champion. They had to rally from behind after Getruede Engueme's impressive long-range strike in the 42nd minute gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at halftime.

However, the Twiga Stars responded strongly in the second half, scoring three goals through Stumai Abdallah, Enekia Kasonga, and Diana Msewa.

“The team showed a lot of hunger and teamwork as they searched for goals. It is a good first-leg result that we must build on and secure another good result in the return leg,” Shime stated.

Fresh from qualifying for the 2024 WAFCON, Twiga Stars are now aiming to secure their spot in the 2026 tournament, which also serves as a qualifying pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup. 

To do so, they will need a strong performance in the second leg, scheduled for February 26 at Nuevo Estadio de Malabo, to advance to the second round of qualifiers set for October 20-28.

Regarding his team's performance, Shime emphasized the importance of assessing player fitness and ensuring a strong finish in the second leg.

"I'm extremely pleased with the players' performance. Some arrived late, but their experience and the significance of this match meant we had to take a risk.

"While I am aware this could impact their fitness, we have time to address that and get them back to peak condition.

"The team played exceptionally well, except for the single goal we conceded, which took away some of our comfortable lead. We need to improve defensively, especially for the second leg,” he said.

"We entered this match with limited knowledge of our opponents, so we used it to analyze their style of play. This will serve as our foundation for preparing for the return leg.

"Our focus now shifts to training and reviewing this match. We understand the importance of qualifying for next year's AFCON. We must be prepared for a tough challenge from Equatorial Guinea in the second leg, as they are a very strong team," Shime added.

Tanzania is among the teams determined to advance to this prestigious continental tournament, which will be held in Morocco. 

A total of 38 African nations will compete for one of the 12 available spots in the final phase, alongside host nation Morocco, which qualifies automatically.

This marks the third consecutive time that Morocco will host Africa’s premier women’s football competition, reinforcing the country’s pivotal role in developing and promoting the sport across the continent.

The reigning champions, South Africa, are among the six nations exempted from the first round due to their high ranking among Africa’s top teams in the FIFA rankings. 

Joining them with exemptions are Zambia, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, and Cameroon. These dominant teams are expected to make a strong impact as they enter the competition in the second round.

This qualification process will highlight emerging forces in African women’s football while showcasing the growing competitiveness of established nations. The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is poised to be a celebration of the talent and passion that drive the sport on the continent.