Stars coach leaps to Samatta defence after Zim displays

Dar es Salaam. Taifa Stars head coach Charles Mkwasa has leapt to the defence of his captain Mbwana Samatta following criticism over his performance against Zimbabwe on Sunday.

The KRC Genk striker, who is struggling to rediscover his scoring touch, captained the team that slumped to a 3-0 loss in a friendly match against Zimbabwe in Harare on Sunday.

Pundits railed against the striker’s anonymous performance, but Mkwasa, who elevated him to the captaincy early this year, said Samatta had good day despite failing to score.

“Samatta played very well contrary to what some people are saying. What he did manage to do was scoring only, but his overall performance was excellent,” said the former Yanga and Taifa Stars defender.

“Yes, he is a high-profile striker and everyone expects him to score always, but anybody among the frontmen can score. Samatta does not play alone on the pitch; his success is also dependent on other players.”

On Tuesday, Mkwasa disclosed that the national team suffered a humiliating defeat because players had no enough time to train together.

He said the TFF ought to reschedule some Vodacom Premier League matches to enable players to link up at Taifa Stars camp early.

He said there was no need for the TFF to insist on the completion of league matches while denying Stars a chance to train for the friendly.

“People are blaming Stars players for a disorganized performance on Sunday, but they forget that these players did not have enough time to train together,” said Mkwasa.

“I don’t see why the last Premier League matches weren’t rescheduled. I announced the team early enough and the authorities should have given this match the respect it deserves.