Taifa Stars leave for Benin minus two Azam FC players
Former Brazilian national team player Juliano Balletti greets Taifa Stars players as he visits the team’s training at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday. Balletti, who featured for Brazil in the 2002 World Cup, is accompanied by the FIFA World Cup trophy that stayed in the country for two days courtesy of Coca Cola Tanzania. PHOTO| COURTESY
What you need to know:
- After the June 4 match against Niger, Taifa Stars, who are in group F, will face Algeria on June 8 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam. The national football team (Taifa Stars) leave the country today for Cotonou, Benin, ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) first leg against Niger on Saturday.
The team’s contingent, which comprises 26 players, will leave by a special plane without two Azam FC players namely, Abdallah Kheri and Lusajo Mwaikenda, who have been left out after failing to report in the team’s residential camp.
Kheri was among the 28 players selected by the team’s head coach, Kim Poulsen, including Mwaikenda, who replaced Shomari Kapombe, who is nursing his injury. The Stars-Niger encounter will take place at Stade de l’Amitié in Cotonou.
Taifa Stars manager Nadir “Cannavaro” Haroub said all the players are in good shape ahead of the qualifier that will see Taifa Stars face Niger for the first time in history.
Haroub said their training was based on techniques, tactics and physique as most players are from various leagues. The players who are departing today are Aishi Manula (Simba), Abutwalib Mshery (Yanga), Metacha Mnata (Polisi Tanzania), Haji Mnoga (Weymouth of England), Himid Mao (Ghazl El Mahalla, Egypt), Novatus Dismas (Beitar Tel Aviv Bat Yam, Israel) and Simon Msuva from Wydad Casablanca of Morocco.
Others are Kelvin John from KRC Genk of Belgium, Ben Starkie (Spalding, England), Ibrahim Joshua (Tusker, Kenya) and the team captain Mbwana Samatta from Royal Antwerp of Belgium.
Also on the list are Kibwana Shomari, Bakari Mwamnyeto, Dickson Job, Farid Mussa and Salum Abubakari alias Sure Boy, all from Yanga.
There are also Mohammed Hussein, Kennedy Juma, Mzamiru Yassin and Kibu Dennis, all from Simba.
The list also includes Nickson Kibabage (KMC), Abdallah Kheri Sebo, Mwaikenda (Azam FC), Aziz Andambwile (Mbeya City), Reliant Lusajo (Namungo FC), Abdul Suleiman (Coastal Union) and George Mpole of Geita Gold FC.
After the June 4 match against Niger, Taifa Stars, who are in group F, will face Algeria on June 8 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Sal;aam.
After taking on Algeria, who are nicknamed ‘The Desert Warriors,’ Taifa Stars will travel to Kampala, Uganda, between September 19 and 27 to face Uganda’s The Cranes in the East African derby, a game likely to be tough for both sides.
