AZAM FC head coach Rachid Taoussi has admitted that his team has underachieved this season, with their immediate focus now on securing third place in the Mainland Premier League.

Taoussi acknowledged that despite the squad’s quality and depth, they have not lived up to expectations. 

He noted that Azam were built to challenge for the league title and make deeper runs in cup competitions, but have fallen short on both fronts.

Azam’s title hopes were officially extinguished following a 2-1 loss to Young Africans in their recent league encounter at the Azam Complex. 

However, they narrowly held onto third place thanks to Singida Black Stars’ 2-1 defeat to Coastal Union earlier the same day. That result kept Singida Black Stars just one point behind Azam instead of leapfrogging them in the standings.

Taoussi took over the reins after the club’s early exit from the CAF Champions League, where they were eliminated in the first round by Rwanda’s APR with a 2-1 aggregate score. That exit led to the dismissal of then-head coach Youssouph Dabo, who has since taken over at AS Vita Club.

Under Taoussi’s tenure, Azam also suffered an early FA Cup exit in the round of 32, losing to Mbeya City on penalties (4-2) after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.

Despite these setbacks in both domestic and continental competitions, Taoussi emphasized that the team remains committed to its current objectives.

“I cannot say I’m comfortable with where we are in the league,” Taoussi said. “I’m a coach who wants to see our efforts produce major achievements. Small setbacks won’t deter us from our goals.”

He highlighted the challenges of competing with the country’s top clubs. 

“If you want to compete against strong teams like Yanga and Simba, you have to consistently perform at the highest level,” he noted.

“Unfortunately, we were knocked out of African competitions, and more recently, we lost our chance at the FA Cup. That was another major blow for us.”

Taoussi also pointed to injuries as a key issue that has disrupted the team’s rhythm. 

“One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced this season is repeated injuries to key players, which has made planning difficult.”

He praised the competitive nature of the Tanzanian league, saying: “Victories don’t come easy here. Every match is a battle.”

Looking ahead, Taoussi stressed the importance of finishing the season on a high note. 

“First, I want us to close the season strongly. But there’s a lot we need to fix moving forward. Azam is a big club - bigger than all the others here in my view - but we need to approach every challenge with a strong mentality.”

Azam currently sit third in the standings with 51 points from 26 matches (15 wins, six draws, five losses), boasting a +23 goal difference (39 goals scored, 16 conceded). Singida Black Stars trail closely behind with 50 points from the same number of games.

Young Africans lead the table with 67 points from 25 matches, followed by Simba SC with 57 points from 22 games.

Having missed out on the CAF Champions League, Azam will now aim to secure a place in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup by holding onto third place and fending off Singida Black Stars in the closing rounds of the campaign.