Taifa Stars’ fixtures for mini-tournament confirmed – IPPmedia
The city of Benghazi is to host the international mini-tournament during the FIFA international break from September 21-27.
Taifa Stars are due to take on Libya and Uganda national teams. The games are meant to prepare Taifa Stars for the 2023 AFCON qualifiers next year while Uganda will use the tournament as part of their build-up for their U-23 AFCON qualifiers that serve as the gateway to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
Uganda and Libya will open the tournament on September 21, whereas Taifa Stars will take to the pitch against Uganda on September 24 in what will be the third game between the two sides within a month.
Taifa Stars were eliminated by Uganda on a 4-0 aggregate in the 2022 African Nations Championship qualification matches, losing home and away and ultimately costing coach Kim Polusen’s job.
The East African neighbours will meet again in March next year in a back-to-back AFCON qualifiers doubleheader.
Both are fighting for one of the two tickets in Group G which also has Niger and favourites Algeria.
The tournament concludes with a match in which Taifa Stars face their hosts Libya on September 27.
Tanzania and Libya were in the same group in the previous AFCON qualifiers.
In head-to-head records, there is nothing to separate Tanzania and Libya, each has won one, drawn one, and lost one in their three previous games.
All three matches will be played at the Benina Martyrs International Stadium, renamed in honour of the so-called Martyrs of February, the people who were killed in fighting to gain control over Eastern Libya during the Libyan crisis.
Until 2011 it was officially named Hugo Chávez Football Stadium with a seating capacity of 10,550.
On Monday, Taifa Stars head coach Honour Janza summoned a squad of 23 players including eight foreign-based players that will take part in the mini-tournament. The squad will enter a residential training camp on Saturday.
Full squad:
Goalkeepers: Aishi Manula (Simba SC), Beno Kakolanya (Simba SC), and Said Kipao (Kagera Sugar)
Defenders: Kibwana Shomari (Yanga), Datius Peter (Kagera Sugar), David Luhende (Kagera Sugar), Abdulmalick Adam (Namungo FC), Abdi Banda (Chippa United, South Africa), Carlos Protas (Tusker FC, Kenya), Oscar Masai (Geita Gold FC), Dickson Job (Yanga), and Abdallah Mfuko (Kagera Sugar)
Midfielders: Himid Mao (Ghazl El Mahalla, Egypt), Sospeter Bajana (Azam FC), Mzamiru Yassin (Simba SC), Feisal Salum (Yanga), David Uromi (Moroka Swallows, South Africa), and Mohamed Issa Banka (Namungo FC)
Forwards: Mbwana Samatta (KRC Genk, Belgium), Simon Msuva (Al Qadisiyah, Saudi Arabia), Ibrahim Joshua (Tusker FC, Kenya), Said Khamis (Hatta Club, UAE), and Habib Kiyombo (Simba SC)
