Taifa Stars and Mozambique players in tussle for the ball during the African nations Cup qualifier duel played at Zimpeto Stadium in Maputo last Sunday. Stars lost 6-7 in post match penalties.

Tanzania national soccer team and officials are expected home today after a dreadful Maputo trip that saw them crash out of the race for African nations Cup finals.

Taifa Stars lose to Mozambique by 7-6 penalties after the teams ended both legs on 2-2 draw last Sunday in Maputo,

The Tanzania Football Federation’s information officer, Boniface Wambura, said the team’s head coach Kim Poulsen hailed players for splendid performance.

“We were looking for a goal and we successfully scored but went on to lose in shootout,” says the coach.

The coach said his players put up a brave fight and only lady luck would not smile to them in the shootout.

Tanzania, which featured in the Nations Cup finals for the first and last time in 1980, will have to reorganise for another qualifiers that would lead the team to the 2015 finals whose host is yet to be known.

Coach Poulsen now has to focus on the 2014 World Cup qualifiers with the next match against Morocco.

The loss in Maputo was the second for the coach who took the team last month.

So far Poulsen has led the team to one win and two defeats in the three competitive matches besides a barren draw with Malawi ahead of the World Cup qualifiers played in Dar es Salaam last month.

The Nations Cup qualifiers’ voodoo has continued to haunt Tanzania since the 1982 finals as both domestic and foreign coach have failed to make a turnaround.

Taifa Stars players, who have been in a lengthy one month camp, are expected to join their families and respective teams soon after today’s arrival flight.