AFCON2019: Key Tanzania players to watch

Tanzania national team head coach Emmanuel Amuneke unveiled his final 23-man squad for the 2019 Total Africa Cup of Nations weeks ago ahead of the tournament that will be staged in Egypt starting on Friday.

There were some surprise omissions when the former Nigerian international named his final Taifa Stars squad. Despite starring for Simba in the Caf Champions League, Jonas Mkude was left out of the squad and so was Yanga’s Ibrahim Ajib.

Leading the Taifa Stars squad is Genk forward Mbwana Samatta who doubles as the country’s Captain. Farid Mussa of Tenerife in Spain, Erasto Nyoni of Simba Sporting Club and Simon Msuva who plays in Morocco are some of the key players in the team..

Other key notable inclusions in the squad are Simba Sporting Club duo of,Aishi Manula and John Bocco.

Tanzania and Kenya are deemed underdogs in Group C that has Senegal and Algeria. The two are favorites to progress from group C.

Here is a look at some of the players to watch in the Tanzanian team;

Mbwana Samatta

The Tanzanian forward is one of the best forwards at the moment in East Africa. He features for the Belgian side, KRC Genk, a side he joined from DRC giants TP Mazembe in 2016. The 2015 African player of the year based in Africa has hit the ground running in Belgium and has been linked with a move away this summer. He scored two goals for Tanzania during the qualification phase.

He began his career as a youthful player for Tanzanian club African Lyon in 2008 before turning professional in 2010 with Simba Sports Club, where he played for only half a season before moving to TP Mazembe.

Aishi Manula

The 23-year old is Taifa’s no. 1 goalkeeper. He plays for Simba FC in the local league having started his career with Mtibwa Sugar FC and later Azam FC before settling at Simba in 2017. He has helped Simba to two league titles and starred between the posts as Simba reached Caf Champions League quarter final in 2019. He will be key for Stars in Egypt against the likes of Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez and Michael Olunga.

He is helped in the goal posts by Metacha Mhata of Mbao FC.

Erasto Nyoni 

Erasto Edward Nyoni is one of the old players in the Tanzanian squad at 31. He currently plays for the Tanzanian club Simba SC and the Tanzania national team. He is a first choice defender for Amunike and will be a key cog for Stars in Egypt.

Msuva Simon

He is one of the swift attacking midfielders for the Taifa stars team currently playing for Moroccan side, Difaa El Jadida whom he joined in July 2017.

He has played for other clubs in the Tanzanian League like Azam FC, Moro United, and Yanga FC before joining the Moroccan side. He scored two goals for Tanzania during the qualifiers.

Faridi Mussa

Farid Mussa is one of the highly rated players in the Tanzania squad. He  plays for  CD Tenerife B of the Canary Islands in Spain. Mussa started his career with Azam FC in the local league back in 2013 before joining CD Tenerife in 2016 after impressing in trials. Known for his pace and crossing ability, Musa will be a key player for Amunike in Egypt as he seeks passage to the knock-out round.

Taifa Stars will play their first match against Senegal on 23rd and play against Kenya in their second on 27th.

Full Squad

Goalkeepers: Aishi Manula (Simba SC),Metacha Mhata (Mbao FC) and Aron Kalambo (TZ Prisons).

Defenders: Hassan Ramadan (Nkana FC), Vincent Phillipo (Mbao FC), Gadiel Michael (Young Africans), Ally Mtoni (Lipuli FC), Mohammed Hussein (Simba SC), Kelvin Yondani (Young Africans), Erasto Nyoni (Simba SC) and Agrey Moris (Azam FC)

Midfielders: Feisal Salum (Young Africans), Himid Mao (Petrojet FC), Mudathir Yahya (Azam FC), Frank Domayo (Azam FC), Farid Mussa (Tenerife) and Yahya Zayd (Ismailia).

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