Nine Taifa Stars players to return early for CAF-CL matches

DAR ES SALAAM: SIMBA and Young Africans players who are in the Taifa Stars squad in Azerbaijan for two FIFA series matches will return home early to join their clubs preparing for CAF Champions League quarter-final matches.

This was disclosed yesterday by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Media and Communication Officer Clifford Ndimbo.

“After Taifa Stars first match of the FIFA Series against Bulgaria on Friday, Simba and Yanga players will be permitted to return home to rejoin their clubs as they prepare for Champions League quarter-final matches,” he said.

Also, Ndimbo announced that KRC Genk player, Kelvin John has been added to the squad by the team’s interim coach, Hemed Morocco.

The promising Tanzanian striker has missed several games for Taifa Stars including the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Ivory Coast as he was suspended by Head Coach, Adel Amrouche.

He was also not added to the initial 23-man squad which is in Azerbaijan but with the latest development, he is now ready to fly high the national flag and showcase his potential.

After playing Bulgaria on Friday, Stars will finish their FIFA Series mission by facing Mongolia on March 25th and they are expected to return home on March 27th.

Simba players who are in the squad are Aishi Manula, Mohamed Hussein, Kennedy Juma and Kibu Denis while for Yanga, they are Aboutwaleeb Mshery, Bakari Mwamnyeto, Ibrahim Bacca, Mudathir Yahya and Clement Mzize.

The full assembled squad for the FIFA Series consists of the following players-Goalkeepers: Aishi Manula (Simba), Aboutwaleeb Mshery (Yanga), and Kwesi Kawawa (Syrianska FC, Sweden).

Defenders: Bakari Mwamnyeto (Yanga), Ibrahim Bacca (Yanga), Lusajo Mwaikenda (Azam), Haji Mnoga (Aldershot Town, England), Mohamed Hussein (Simba), Novatus Dismas (Shakhtar Donetsk, (Ukraine), Kennedy Juma (Simba) and Miano Danilo (Villena CF, Spain).

Midfielders: Feisal Salum (Azam), Mudathir Yahya (Yanga), Moris Micheal (RFK Novi Sad, Serbia), Himid Mao (Tela’ea El Gaish SC, Egypt), Yahya Zaydi (Azam) and Tarryn Allarakhia (Wealdstone, England).

Strikers: Clement Mzize (Yanga), Simon Msuva (Alnajmah FC, Saudi Arabia), Kibu Denis (Simba), Abdul Suleiman (Azam), Ben Starkie (IIkestone Town, England) and Charles M’mombwa (Macarthur FC, Australia).