Tanzania: TFF Act On Nizar, Mrwanda

Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

3 May 2011

AFTER fumbling in inviting overseas-based players for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Central African Republic, the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) is keen to avoid the same fault and has already sent letters of invitation to six professional players ahead of the international friendly match against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.

Taifa Stars inexplicably missed the services of three key foreign-based players when they played host to Central African Republic (CAR) in the Group D encounter of the AFCON qualifiers in March, with the mishap only spared after Stars succeeded to scrap to a 2-1 win.

The trio, Nizar Khalfan who plies his trade at Vancouver Whitecaps of Canada, Danny Mrwanda and Abdi Kasssim (Vietnam’s DT Long An), were not released by their clubs on grounds that their (clubs) didn’t receive enough notification, the claims that were strongly refuted by TFF.

And the federation has this time taken measures to ensure the trio as well as Athuman Machupa (Vasalund IF,Sweden), defender-cum-midfielder Idrissa Rajab (Sofapaka, Kenya) and Henry Joseph (Kongsvinger IL, Norway), who honoured the invitation to play against CAR, are released for the match against Bafana Bafana.

“We have already sent notifications to their respective clubs, inquiring for their release so that they can join the Stars for the forthcoming international friendly against South Africa,” TFF spokesperson Boniface Wambura said.

According to him, South Africa are expected in Dar es Salaam on March 12, ahead of the anxiously-awaited encounter at the National Stadium two days later.

“It is an important match for both, Taifa Stars and Bafana Bafana because they have got key matches in the qualifiers coming up,” Wambura said.

For Taifa Stars the game will serve as a crucial build up for Taifa Stars, who will also travel to Central African Republic for the AFCON qualifier second leg tie against the hosts on June 4. Stars are second in group D.

As for Bafana Bafana, this will be the side’s final game before they take on Egypt in Cairo on June 3 in their Group G 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. South Africa tops the group with seven points from three games following two wins and a draw.

Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane, commenting on the friendly, said; “We have a crucial date with Egypt in Cairo for the African Nations Cup qualifier on June 3 and this match against Tanzania will come as a perfect tune-up for us ahead of that game.

“It goes without saying that if we win that game, we will be in a very good position to qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

So this Tanzania game is crucial for us in our preparation for that clash and we will take our strongest possible squad for the match.”

In another development, Wambura confirmed that Tottenham Hotspurs midfielder Steven Pienaar will not play against Tanzania, but insisted the Bafana Bafana will have the strongest possible squad, which will include some foreign-based players.

Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane confirmed over the weekend that apart from Pienaar his side will also be without Orlando Pirates stars striker Thlou Segoleta and midfielder Andile Jaji, who are playing in the Nedbank Cup semi finals on the same weekend.

However, Mosimane who was expected to name his squad this week will be able to select most of the players that started against Egypt in the recent AFCON qualifier at the Ellis Park Stadium.

The country’s number one goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, teammates Yeye Letsholonyane and Simphiwe Tshabalala, Morgan Gould, Siyanda Xulu, Mzuvukile Tom, Prince Hlela, Eric Mathoho, Thanduyise Khuboni, Siyabonga Sangweni and Katlego Mphela will be available for selection.

Bernard Parker has returned from Greece where he has been playing and currently training with AmaZulu and will also be available for the showdown against Taifa Stars.

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