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Dar es Salaam. A total of eight players from the Tanzania national football team (Taifa Stars), representing Young Africans (Yanga) and Simba, have been released to join their respective clubs ahead of the upcoming CAF Champions League quarterfinal clashes.
Simba are slated to face off against Al Ahly of Egypt on Friday, March 29, 2024, at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, while Yanga will host Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa the following day, at the same venue and time.
The players are Bakari Mwamnyeto, Ibrahim “Bacca” Hamad, Mudathir Yahya, and Clement Mzize, from Yanga, while Kennedy Juma, Mohamed Hussein, and Kibu Dennis are from Simba.
Simba’s goalkeeper, Aishi Manula, did not join his club due to injury. Manula sustained the injury during a recent match between Taifa Stars and Bulgaria in Baku, Azerbaijan, as part of the FIFA Series organised by FIFA.
He was substituted in the 30th minute of the game, with Kwesi Kawawa taking his place for the remainder of the match, which Taifa Stars lost 1-0.
Originally, the players were expected to arrive in the country two to three days before their respective clubs’ matches.
However, the two clubs requested TFF to allow the players to arrive as early as possible to join others in the training programme ahead of the CAF matches.
The request was positively received by TFF, which decided to revise it. The football authorities decided that the players would join their clubs immediately after Taifa Stars’ first match against Bulgaria.
Earlier, the decision to include Yanga and Simba players in Taifa Stars elicited mixed reactions among football stakeholders.
Many football stakeholders challenged TFF on the matter and urged them to drop the players from the team (Taifa Stars) to allow them ample training time with their respective clubs ahead of the CAF Champions League matches.
However, TFF cited logistical challenges, including ticket and visa expenses, as reasons for retaining the players in the team.
“We have permitted Yanga and Simba players to join their teams ahead of the crucial CAF Champions League quarterfinal matches. Only Manula (Aishi) did not travel due to injury and is currently under treatment,” said Taifa Stars interim coach, Hemed “Morocco” Suleiman, through a telephone.
Meanwhile, foreign players such as Saido Ntibanzonkiza and Clatous Chama for Simba, and Djigui Diarra, Kennedy Musonda, Stephane Aziz Ki, and Pacome Zouzoua for Yanga, are set to join their respective clubs due to FIFA Series assignments.
Their arrivals are scheduled for March 27, contingent on flight connections.
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