Tanzania national team, Taifa Stars, will move into camp in Dar es Salaam today to prepare for the forthcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against continental giants Nigeria on September 5 this year.
On Thursday, Stars head coach, Charles Boniface Mkwassa named five foreign based players in his 29-man squad, to prepare for the match.
Hassan Sembi from South Africa’s Santos FC and Adi Yussuf from Mansfield Town of England were named for the first time and will join Mrisho Ngasa from Free State of South Africa and TP Mazembe duo of Mbwana Samatta and Thomas Ulimwengu in the squad.
Youthful Orgenes Mollel from Aspire Africa camp in Senegal and Azam’s new boy Farid Musa have also been included in the team that face a must win situation against Nigeria to revamp their hopes of making it to the 2017 AFCON finals.
Taifa Stars lost their first group match 3-0 to ‘Pharaohs’ of Egypt, forcing the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) to overhaul the team’s technical bench, whereby Dutch trainer Mart Nooij was replaced with Mkwasa.
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The team will stay together in Dar es Salaam for one week before departing for Istanbul, Turkey on August 23 this year, to set up a ten-day camp to prepare for their second match of the qualifiers.
In Turkey, Taifa Stars will play two friendly matches against Libya and Kuwait before returning back in the country to face the ‘Super Eagles’ of Nigeria.
Players who will move into camp today are goalkeeper, Ally Mustafa (Yanga) and Aishi Manula (Azam). Defenders are Shomari Kapombe (Azam), Michael Aidan (Ruvu Shooting), Juma Abdul, Mwinyi Haji, Nadir Haroub and Kelvin Yondani (Yanga), Abdi Banda and Hassan Isihaka from Simba.
Midfielders are Himid Mao, Frank Domayo, Mudathir Yahya (Azam), Salum Telela (Yanga) and Said Ndemla from Simba.
Forwards are Orgenes Mollel (Aspire – Senegal), Abdrahman Mbambi (Mafunzo), Deus Kaseke, Saimon Msuva (Yanga), Ramdhani Singano, Farid Musa, John Bocco, Ame Ally (Azam) and Rashid Mandawa from Mwadui FC. Mkwasa said the five foreign based players will join the rest in Turkey camp to prepare for the crucial match.
