ABDI KASSIM ‘BABI’ SETS AN UNFORGETTABLE RECORD
By Amini Nyaungo
Former Tanzanian
international attacking midfielder Abdi Kassim ‘Babi’, also known as the
“Ballack of Unguja”, may not be in the spotlight these days, but he holds a
historic record that will forever be remembered at the National Stadium in Dar
es Salaam.
The midfielder, who once
played for clubs such as Mlandege (Zanzibar), Mtibwa Sugar, Yanga, Azam, and
even had stints in Vietnam and Malaysia, is the first player to score a goal at
the modern and iconic national stadium.
In case you’ve forgotten:
after the stadium—built at a cost of billions of Tanzanian shillings during the
Third Phase Government—was completed in 2007, an inaugural match was organized
between Tanzania’s national team, Taifa Stars, and their neighbors, Uganda’s
Cranes.
The match took place on
September 1st, and it was the talented midfielder, who had also captained both
Yanga and the national team, who scored the only goal that secured Tanzania’s
win in front of over 60,000 home fans.
It wasn’t just a win—it
was the first goal ever scored at the stadium, coming from a powerful shot
taken more than 30 meters away from Uganda’s goal. That moment ensured Babi—who
also played for KMKM, Taifa Jang’ombe, and Jang’ombe Boys in Zanzibar—etched
his name permanently in the stadium’s history.
In the later stages of
his career, Babi played for African Lyon and Mawenzi Market, wrapping up a
football journey that began back in 1995.
Abdi Kassim is also
credited with scoring Azam FC’s first-ever international goal. He achieved this
milestone on February 16, 2013, when Azam defeated Al Nasri of South Sudan 3-1
in the preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup.
For those who remember
the historic 2007 match, Babi received a brilliant pass from another Tanzanian
football maestro, Haruna Moshi ‘Boban’. He controlled the ball calmly, took a
short stride forward, and unleashed a thunderous strike that left Uganda’s
goalkeeper helpless—scoring that memorable goal for Taifa Stars.
Three years later, in
another historic moment for the stadium, Brazil—the legendary World Cup
champions—visited Tanzania and played a friendly match on June 7, 2010, as part
of their preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa.
ENDS
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