Samatta, Maguli arrive for Botswana match

Dar es Salaam. Four foreign-based players, including Mbwana Samatta, have joined the national soccer team’s camp ahead of an international friendly match against Botswana at the Uhuru Stadium on Saturday.

Others are Abdi Banda, who plays for Baroka FC in South Africa, Hamis Abdallah (Sony Sugar, Kenya) and Elias Maguli of Dhofar FC in Oman.

Taifa Stars head coach Salum Mayanga said yesterday that he was happy to see foreign-based players return home on time for the match.

Mayanga said striker Simon Msuva, who plays for Difaa El Jadidah in Morocco, would join the team at camp tomorrow while Farid Mussa, who features for CD Tenerif of Spain, arrives today.

According to the coach, Orgenes Mollel, who plies his trade with FC Famalicao in Portugal, may not feature for the Stars the friendly.

“All players are in top shape ahead of the game. I m happy that most of our foreign-based players will be available for the match,” Mayanga said.

“I know that Botswana are a good team but we don’t fear them,” he added.

For The Zebras, as the Botswana team is popularly known, a win would be a sweet revenge against Mayanga’s men who beat them 2-0 in an international friendly match a few months ago. Taifa Stars, smarting after early elimination in the African Nations Championship, need nothing short of a win to appease disgruntled local soccer fans.

Mayanga asked fans to turn up at the Uhuru Stadium in large numbers to cheer the team.

Mayanga said they will not afford another poor performance this time around. The Zebras are expected in the country tomorrow.

“We are struggling to improve the status of the country football in the country, Taifa Stars is our team and we need to support it in any means, we play the toughest match and we need to show our commitments, players at the field, other Tanzanians cheering it,” he said.