SAMATTA TO LEAD STARS AGAINST KENYA

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AfricaPress-Tanzania: TANZANIA head coach Kim Poulsen has named players who are going to play two friendly games against Kenyan counterparts, Harambee Stars under captaincy of Turkish Fenerbahce striker, Mbwana Samatta.

It will be the first major test for Danish coach since he replaced Burundian Etienne Ndayiragije who parted ways with country’s governing football body, TFF on mutual agreement after Taifa Stars struggled in the recently concluded African Nations Championship in Cameroon.

He helped Taifa Stars qualify for the tournament meant exclusively for players doing trade in their own domestic leagues. The new coach has maintained the majority of players who were regular first-teamers under Ndayiragije.

Among those recalled is Simon Msuva, who plies skills with Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca.

Aishi Manula, who was the preferred goalkeeper in the African Nations Championship where they were eliminated at the group stage, is expected to keep his position with his Yanga SC rival Metacha Mnata as well as experienced Juma Kaseja of KMC FC being the other goalkeepers set to compete with him.

Erasto Nyoni of Simba has been named even though he has had to contend with very few minutes at club level due to the arrival of Joash Onyango.

Defender Kelvin Yondani has also earned a nod as well as Mohamed Hussein of Simba and Bakari Mwamnyeto of Yanga.

Midfielder Jonas Mkude has been included in the squad though he fights hard to slot back into Simba’s first team since he was frozen out due to matters of indiscipline.

His club teammate Muzamir Yassin and Yanga’s Yassin Mustapha are expected to be Mkude’s fiercest rivals. With a win, a draw and two losses, the Taifa Stars are third in Group J where Tunisia are leading with 10 points while Libya, with a win and three losses, are at the bottom.

Tanzania Squad: Aishi Manula, Metacha Mnata, Juma Kaseja, Shomari Kapombe, Hassan Kessy, Israel Mwednwa, Erasto Nyoni, Dickson Job, Bakari Nondo Mwamnyeto, Kelvin Yondan, Carlos Protas, Laurent Alfred, Kennedy Juma, Mohammed Hussein, Nickson Kibabage, David Bryson.

Yassin Mustapha, Edward Manyama, Simon Msuva, Hassan Dilunga, Mzamir Yassin, Jonas Mkude, Saidi Ndemla, Fiesal Salum, Himid Mao, Ally Msengi, Baraka Majogoro, Salum Aboubakar, Iddy Nado, Mbwana Samatta, Thomas Ulimwengu, John Bocco.

Yohanna Mkomba, Shaban Chilunda, Ditram Nchimbi, Deus Kaseke, Abdul Suleiman, Kelvin Pius John, Nassor Hamoud, Meshack Mwamito.

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