Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)
Ludovick Kazoka
2 June 2011
MIDFIELDER Henry Joseph was the latest player to withdraw from the national soccer team Taifa Stars squad, which was expected to jet off early Friday morning for Central African Republic ahead of their upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against the Les Fauves.
Henry, who features for Kongsvinger IL of Norway, picked up a knock during a training session that ruled him out of the match day four date with hosts Les Fauves in Bangui on Sunday.
Stars’ preparations for the CAR have once again been rocked by injuries and the withdrawal of key players. The team was already without injured first choice goalkeeper Juma Kaseja and Vietnam based stars Danny Mrwanda and Abdi Kassim, who could not be released by their club DT Long An.
Taifa Stars inexplicably missed the services of Nizar, Mrwanda and Kassim in the previous
Group D encounter of the AFCON qualifiers against CAR played in March, in which Stars triumphed 2-1.
The trio were not released by their clubs on grounds that their (clubs) didn’t receive enough notification, the claims that were strongly refuted by TFF.
Taifa Stars head coach Jan Poulsen has opted to include in the squad Mtibwa Sugar goalkeeper, Shaaban Kado and TP Mazembe’s striker, Mbwana Samata as he seeks to have the strongest possible squad for the encounter.
The two youngsters also feature for the national U-23 team, Vijana Stars, who meet Nigeria in a vital first leg match of the second round of the 2012 Olympic Qualifiers at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Saturday.
But the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) had given Poulsen power to decide on whether he would use Kado and Samata in the CAR match or not. The team led by head of delegation Samwel Nyala was set to jet off aboard Kenya Airways flight after efforts to secure a government charter to transport the team to the CAR capital proved futile.
The squad includes goalkeepers; Kado and Shaaban Dihile, defenders; Idrisa Rajab, Nadir Haroub ‘Canavaro’, Aggrey Morris, Juma Nyoso, Amir Maftah and Shadrack Nsajigwa.
Midfielders; Shaaban Nditi, Nizar Khalfan, Jabir Aziz, Mwinyi Kazimoto, Julius Mrope and Salum Machaku while strikers are Mohamed Banka, John Bocco, Athumani Machupa, Mrisho Ngasa and Samata.
The Stars need to win their remaining three matches of the campaign – beginning with Sunday’s game – to stand a good chance of qualifying for next year’s Afcon finals.
Speaking prior to their departure Poulsen conceded it is a daunting task, but one which nevertheless is not insurmountable.
“We know the Central Africa, it is a good team but we are going out there to fight hard in order to win the game,” Poulsen told reporters.
Skipper Nsajigwa said the players were in a positive frame of mind ahead of the CAR game.
“This is the important game for us because a win will give us a lot of hopes that we can make it to the finals.
“We are leaving with morale of winning the game, we will play hard to win the game in order to well represent the country,” he vowed.
The National Sports Council NSC Chairperson, Idd Kipingu, who presented the team with the national flag challenged the players to put in a brave fight.
“The chance to the final is on our hands since we are in good position in the table what is needed is to win the game to keep the country’s hopes of reaching the AFCON finals alive,” said Kipingu.
Should Stars win against CAR, they will be in a very good position to qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup that is to be jointly hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
AllAfrica – All the Time
Taken from:
Stars Jet Off Minus Key Players