Tanzania name squad for Flames friendly

Tanzania coach Kim Paulsen has named a 27-member squad which is expected to start camp training this Saturday in preparation for an international friendly against the Flames.

The Taifa Stars will host the Flames in Dar es Salaam on June 13 as part of both teams’ preparations for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers slated for later this year.

The squad includes four foreign-based players, namely   Mbwana Samatta (Fenerbahce, Turkey), formerly of English Premier League club Aston Villa, Simon Msuva (Wydad AC, Morocco), Nickson Kibabage (Youssoufia FC, Morocco) and   Novatus Dismas (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel).

The Danish coach, who is having a second stint with the Taifa Stars, has also called seven players from Tanzanian champions Simba SC.

He is quoted by caf.com as having said: “I called a mixture of players. The intention is to have a regular team that will not change every time. We called players that are technically and mentally strong to play for the Taifa Stars.

“We are starting our early preparations for the World Cup qualifiers. We will play Malawi, one of the teams that qualified for the next edition of Total Africa Cup of Nations. This game will show us a way forward.”

Flames coach Meck Mwase initially named a 24-member squad which started camp training on Monday in Blantyre.

The squad includes 10-foreign-based players while the rest play for local clubs.

The foreign-based players are South Africa-based Limbikani Mzava, Frank ‘Gabadinho’ Mhango, Richard Mbulu, Gerald Phiri Jnr, Dennis Chembezi and Khuda Muyaba; Charles Petro and Peter Banda who are based in Moldova, Mozambique-based John ‘CJ’ Banda and Tawonga Chimodzi who plies his trade in Cyprus.

The Flames also want to use the match to prepare for the 2021 Afcon finals to be hosted by Cameroon next January.

Mwase said: “Tanzania are improving and are a good team for us to measure ourselves. It is good for the team to be utilising the international Fifa dates. We need more international friendlies if we are to build match fitness and rhythm as a team.”