Israel Saria
Taifa Stars head coach Marcio Maximo has released a squad of 31 players who are to set up a camp ahead of their international friendly against Rwanda on August 12.
Stars are gearing up for the friendly against the central African country, the first to be played outside the Tanzania territorial borders since the beginning of the year and fifth overall.
Efforts by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) to solicit a friendly against African champions Egypt have thrice been turned down. Maximo said the friendly against Rwanda will also be useful to test his players as the team is still contesting for the 2010 World Cup berth.
The match will be within FIFA dates of international friendlies and its outcome is highly to affect the rankings of both teams.
The selected players are expected to start residential training in Dar es Salaam on Monday.
The Brazilian coach said his latest selection has been based on professionalism and competence of the players.
No player would have a permanent position in the national team as each should work hard to win the first team selection, so says the coach.
He included export players in the likes of Norwegian-based Henry Joseph and Canadian-based Tanzanian duo of Nadir Haroub and Nizar Khalfan.
Moro United’s Stephen Mwasika, whom he left for almost a year, has also been recalled to join the team. Six players from youth team have also won Maximo’s call to join the senior players in the training camp.
Surprisingly, Maximo has called only two goalkeepers, Juma Dihile of JKT Ruvu and Simba’s Ali Mustafa. John Boko from Azam FC and African Lyon’s Rashid Gumbo are making debut appearance in the team.
Simba’s newly signed Uhuru Suleiman who crossed from Mtibwa Sugar has been overlooked in Maximo’s list of yesterday.
Stars have won only one match out of the four friendlies they have played since the beginning of the year.
They posted barren draws with Zimbabwe and Vancouver Whitecaps, lost 2-0 to visiting CHAN champions DR Congo and won against depleted New Zealand by 2-1 goals.
The team’s world rankings that used to be in triple figure digits broke into double digit last month, courtesy of their last-gasp home win against New Zealand.
The rest of the players as selected by Maximo are;
Defenders:
Erasto Nyoni and Salum Swed (Azam FC), Stephen Mwasika (Moro United), Shadrack Nsajigwa (Yanga), Nadir Haroub (Vancouver Whitecaps) and Simba trio of Kelvin Yondan, David Naftari and Juma Jabu.
Midfielders:
Shaaban Nditi (Mtibwa), Juma Nyoso (Simba), Henry Joseph (Kongsvinger), Nizar Khalfan (Vancouver Whitecaps), Mwinyi Kazimoto (JKT Ruvu), Rashid Gumbo( African Lyon) and Yanga trio of Razak Khalfan, Nurdin Bakar and Kigi Makasi.
Strikers:
Zahor Pazi (Mtibwa), Mrisho Ngassa and Jerson Tegete (Yanga), Danny Mrwanda (Simba) and John Boko (Azam FC).
Players selected from youth national team include Azam FC trio of Hadji Nuhu, Himid Mao and Tumba Swedi. Others are Adili Adam (under-20 team), Yusuph Sued (African Lyon) and Aman Kaita from Tanzania Soccer Academy, TSA.
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