AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Confederation of African Football (CAF) has directed the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers match between Taifa Stars and Libya to be staged behind closed doors.
Stars will host Libya in group J encounter at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam this Sunday.
According to a statement released by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), CAF has directed the match to be played behind lock doors in continuation efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19 across the world.
Stars were due to face Equatorial Guinea away in Malabo last night, in the penultimate encounter of the group.
The team is expected to jet back in the country immediately after their game ready for the Sunday’s final group match against Libya. TFF’s Information and Communications Officer, Clifford Ndimbo confirmed that Stars will jet back with a private jet.
As of yesterday, before Stars match against Equatorial Guinea, the group standings put Tunisia on the driver’s seat on ten points, followed by Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania, who are on six and four points respectively and Libya are at the bottom on three points.
Stars squad under the tutelage of their Danish tactician Kim Poulsen left Kenya on Tuesday for Malabo with 30 strong-man squad. Taifa Stars had pitched camp in Nairobi for almost two weeks to prepare for battle.
Players in the squad are goalkeepers: Goalkeepers: Aishi Manula, Metacha Mnata, Juma Kaseja.
Defenders: Shomari Kapombe, Israel Mwenda, Erasto Nyoni, Bakari Nondo Mwamnyeto, Kelvin Yondani, Kennedy Juma, Laurent Alfred, Mohammed Hussein, Nickson Kibabage, and Yassin Mustapha .
Midfielder: Simon Msuva, Hassan Dilunga, Mzamiru Yassin, Jonas Mkude, Feisal Salum, Himid Mao, Salum Abubakar , Farid Mussa and Iddy Suleiman Nado.
Forwards: Mbwana Samatta , Thomas Ulimwengu , John Raphael Bocco, Yohana Mkomola, Shaaban Iddi Chilunda, Deus Kaseke, Abdul Hamis Suleiman and Ayoub Lyanga.
Stars pitched a two week camp in Nairobi, Kenya, where they were scheduled to play two build –up games with their hosts Kenya’s Harambee Stars but they only managed one, following the untimely death of President John Magufuli on March 17th this year that resulted to the cancellation of the second game, which was to be staged on March 18th this year.
In the first game held on March 15, Taifa Stars lost 2-1 against the hosts with goals from Erick Kapaito and Abdalla Hassan, who scored for Harambee Stars, while Ayub Lyanga scored the consolation goal for Stars.
The top two nations in each group of the AFCON qualifiers will advance to the 24- team finals to be hosted in Cameroon next year. It will run from January 9 to February 6, 2022.
Meanwhile, Comoro have qualified for the Total Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the first time in their history after picking up a point in a 0-0 draw with Togo at home on Thursday.
The final whistle drew wild celebrations in the stadium, players and coaches hugging, jumping and dancing as the reality of playing at Africa’s biggest competition dawned on them.
The result in Moroni sees Comoros move to nine points ahead of their final match against Egypt and this means the worst they can finish is second spot.
The islanders’ four points each against both Kenya and Togo coupled with the point at home against Egypt have seen them clinch a ticket to Cameroon.
Togo on the other hand have seen their qualification hopes dashed as they are bottom with just two points. Egypt might seal the remaining qualification slot if they pick a point or three points or a win against Kenya in the other group match in Nairobi.
The small island nation carried the dreams of an entire country and their first priority was ensuring they guarded their rear well and the first half didn’t have many scoring opportunities.
