Dar es Salaam. Tanzania national football team, Taifa Stars head coach Miguel Gamondi has named a 24-man squad ahead of two international FIFA friendly matches against Uganda and Rwanda scheduled to take place in Marrakesh, Morocco early next month.
The friendlies are expected to give the technical bench an opportunity to assess players and continue building a competitive squad for future international assignments.
Taifa Stars will begin their campaign with a match against Uganda on June 5 before taking on Rwanda on June 9 in what are expected to be highly competitive regional encounters.
The matches form part of FIFA’s international calendar and will help the team maintain momentum as preparations continue for upcoming continental and World Cup qualifying competitions.
Coach Gamondi has selected a blend of experienced stars and emerging talents from clubs both within Tanzania and abroad. Domestic league giants Azam FC, Simba SC and Young Africans SC dominate the squad, highlighting the strength of the local league in producing national team players.
The players called into the squad are Zuber Foba (Azam FC), Aishi Manula (Azam FC), Yona Amos (Pamba Jiji), Pascal Msindo (Azam FC), Nickson Kibabage (Simba SC), Ibrahim Hamad (Young Africans), Elias Lawi (Azam FC) and Bakari Mwamnyeto of Yanga.
Others are Vedastus Masinde (Simba), Mohamed Mussa (Mashujaa FC), Haji Mnoga (Salford City, England), Novatus Dismas (Göztepe FC, Turkey), Mohammed Sagaf (Eastbourne, England) and Abdukarim Kiswanya of Namungo FC.
Others are Mudathiri Yahya (Yanga), Charles M’mombwa (Floriana FC, Malta), Alphonce Mabula (Shamakhi, Azerbaijan), Bakari Msimu (Coastal Union), Tarryn Allarakhia (Rochdale FC, England), Feisal Salum (Azam FC), Simon Msuva (Al-Talaba, Iraq), Selemani Mwalimu (Simba), Cyprian Kachwele (HFX Wanderers, Canada) and Said Khamis who plays for Immigration of Malaysia.
The inclusion of foreign-based players is expected to strengthen the squad with international experience, while local-based stars will be keen to prove themselves on the international stage. Several players have been impressive for their respective clubs this season and will be looking to carry their form into the national team setup.
