DAR ES SALAAM: OFFICIALLY, 18 players from the Mainland Premier League are competing in the progressing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Ivory Coast.
This was confirmed on Saturday by the Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) that shortlisted the names through its official Instagram account.
Thirteen represent Tanzania Senior Fotball Team ‘Taifa Stars’ while five will feature for their respective national teams.
Those in the Taifa Stars squad are Aishi Manula (Simba), Beno Kakolanya (Singida Fountain Gate), Bakari Mwamnyeto, Ibrahim Bacca, Dickson Job and Mudathir Yahya, all fromYoung Africans.
Others are Mohamed Hussein, Kibu Denis, Mzamiru Yassin from Simba, Feisal Salum, Sospeter Bajana, Lusajo Mwaikenda (Azam) and Abdulmalik Zakaria (Namungo).
Those representing other countries are Clatous Chama and Kennedy Musonda (Zambia), Stephanie Aziz Ki (Burkina Faso), Henock Inonga (DR Congo) and Djigui Diarra (Mali).
However, Aziz Ki will be the first Premier League player to feel a glimpse of the AFCON finals as his Burkina Faso National Team take on Mauritania in a Group D clash on Tuesday.
Later on the same day, it will be the turn of Diarra who’s his side Mali will lock horns with South Africa in a late kick-off encounter timed at 11:00 pm.
A day later on Wednesday, Tanzania will interface with Morocco in the opening fixture of their Group F that many Tanzanians are eagerly waiting to see what will be the outcome.
Registering good results over Morocco will help to give Adel Amrouche’s side deserved momentum before facing Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo respectively.
