Heroes out

Ivory Coast`s striker Diamande Vamouti (No 18) and Ngorongoro Heroes Salum Telela fight for the ball during their African youth championship match at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

The national youth soccer team, Ngorongoro Heroes, were sent packing when Ivory Coast forced them into a 1-1 draw in an African Under-20 youth championship, return leg match played at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday. The visitors scored first in the 44th minute through their striker Diomande Vamouti before Salum Aboubakar levelled for the home side seven minutes later.

The West African lads advanced with a 2-1 aggregate as they won the first leg match in Abidjan played on their soil about two weeks ago.

Heroes, trained by Rodrigo Stockler, suffered a blow when Kelvin Chale was sent off for the second bookable offence.

Tanzania’s Under-20 who needed just a 2-0 win to advance in yesterday’s game, were back in the race after serving a three-year ban imposed on them by the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) for fielding over-aged Nurdin Bakari in the championship some years ago.

The team will now focus on the regional youth tourney organised by the Council East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) set to kick off in Eritrea next week.