TZW
Stars Head Coach Salum Mayanga said yesterday that the duo have been dropped due to various reasons. He said Bocco has not returned to full fitness after picking an injury during the league matches recently, while Ulimwengu was busy finalizing his transfer from Sweden to a Bosnian club.
Midfielder, Farid Mussa has also been dropped from the squad because his club Teneriffe B of Spain refused to permit him because they were facing crucial matches, while midfielder, Hamisi Abdallah from AFC Leopard of Kenya has also been dropped.
In their places, Mayanga has included striker, Rashid Mandawa from Botswana Defence Force side BDF and Azam FC midfielder, Himid Mao, who has returned to match fitness after spell out of injuries. Also added in the team is striker, Shaaban Iddi Chilunda from Azam. Taifa Stars were due to depart yesterday for Algiers after players from Simba and Yanga joined the rest in the squad.
Simba and Yanga travelled to Egypt and Botswana respectively to represent the Mainland into the CAF inter-club competitions. Simba were knocked out of CAF Confederation Cup on away goal rule by Egyptian side, Al Masry on Saturday. They battled to a barren draw, while in the first leg match at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam the match ended in a 2-2 draw.
Yanga on the other hand were bundled out of CAF Champions League on 2-1 aggregate by Township Rollers of Botswana. The first leg played at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam ended with a 2-1 victory for Township Rollers and the Botswana side fought to a barren draw in a return leg in Gaborone on Saturday. Players who made the trip to Algeria include Goalkeepers: Aishi Manula (Simba), Abdulrahman Mohammed (JKU), Ramadhan Kabwili (Yanga SC).
Defenders; Shomary Kapombe and Erasto Nyoni (Simba), Hassan Kessy, Gardiel Michael and Kelvin Yondan (Yanga), Abdi Banda (Baroka FC/ South Africa). Midfielders: Himid Mao (Azam), Mudathir Yahya (Singida United), Shiza Kichuya and Said Ndemla (Simba), Faisal Salum (JKU), Abdulaziz Makame (Taifa Jang’ombe), Ibrahim Ajib (Yanga) and Mohammed Issa ‘Banka’ (Mtibwa Sugar).
Strikers: Skipper Mbwana Samatta (KRC Genk/Belgium), Simon Msuva (Difaa Hassan El Jadida/ Morocco), Rashid Mandawa (BDF/ Botswana), Shaaban Iddi and Yahya Zayed (Azam) After their Thursday’s battle against Algeria, The Greens, Taifa Stars will jet back in Dar es Salaam ready for another friendly match against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) The Leopards on March 27th this year at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.