Africa-Press – Tanzania. TAIFA Stars have insisted that their main target is to do well in their 2022 World Cup Qualifiers encounters in order to earn a slot in the biggest football finals showdown on earth.
Stars have a busy schedule coming up ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, where the country envoys are packed in group J together with DR Congo, Benin and Madagascar.
Initially, the first batch of the qualifiers were slated to kick-off this month but they have been pushed further to September, October and November this year, thereby giving competing teams ample time to prepare.
Taifa Stars have lined up a number of friendly matches, starting with a clash against Malawi at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.
Clarifying more about the progress of the team’s camp was Stars manager Nadir Haroub, who said each player in the team is fighting hard to enjoy game time.
“Our main target is to qualify for the 2022 World Cup finals, slated in Qatar that is why we are preparing hard to win in the upcoming qualifiers against DR Congo, Benin and Madagascar,” Haroub said.
He issued a rallying cry to football lovers to descend at the 60,000 capacity stadium to support their team, saying they are the 12th player on the battlefield with a very critical role to play, which is energising players on the pitch.
The full Kim Poulsen’s side which was recently announced has the following players: Aishi Manula (Simba), Metacha Mnata (Young Africans), Juma Kaseja (KMC), Shomari Kapombe (Simba) and Israel Mwenda (KMC).
Others are Mohamed Hussein (Simba), Erasto Nyoni (Simba), Bakari Mwamnyeto (Young Africans), Kennedy Juma (Simba), Dickson Job (Young Africans), Nickson Kibabage (Youssoufla FCMorocco), Simon Msuva (Wydad Casablanca-Morocco) and Mudathir Yahya (Azam FC).
The squad also has Mzamiru Yassin (Simba), Feisal Salum (Young Africans), Salum Abubakar (Azam), Braison Nkulula (Azam), Iddy Suleiman (Azam), Mbwana Samatta (Fenerbahce-Turkey) and John Bocco (Simba).
Also, the list contains Abdul Suleiman (Coastal Union), Ayoub Lyanga (Azam), Denis Kibu (Mbeya City), Meshack Abraham (Gwambina FC), Novatus Dismas (Maccabi Tel Aviv-Israel) and Yusuf Mhilu (Kagera Sugar).
In his brief remarks after naming the team, Poulsen narrated that the squad has a mix of experienced and inexperienced players a thing he said, is good to create balance of the team.
“The intention is that when we go to the next camp in August, we do not want to change each and every one. We need to find the core group, the backbone of the team with technical and tactical quality. “Players should also have mental strength to play for Taifa Stars. They should want to learn and improve,” he insisted.
