TANZANIA Mainland and Isles squads-- Kilimanjaro Stars and Zanzibar Heroes respectively are expected to depart to Kenya today, ready to take part in the forthcoming CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup scheduled to kick off on Sunday.
The return of the tournament organised by the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA), has been received with open arms by sports fans in the country who are eager to see how their beloved teams Kilimanjaro Stars and Zanzibar Heroes will fair.
The prestigious and oldest football competition in Africa had a two- year absence but now, the stage is set in Kenya from Sunday to December 17 this year where talented footballers will showcase their ball masterly skills on the pitch.
Zanzibar Heroes under the tutelage of coach Hemed Suleiman alias ‘Morocco’ were presented with the national flag by the Zanzibar Minister for Information, Tourism, Culture and Sports, Rashid Ali Juma, ready to take part in the tournament which will involve ten teams from the CECAFA zone, including two invited teams -- Libya and Zimbabwe.
Zanzibar Heroes with a contingent of 34 people including 24 players leave the spice island today by boat for Dar es Salaam, where they will pick a bus to Tanga region and tomorrow they will travel to Kenya.
In the brief farewell event Minister, Rashid Ali Juma also handed over sports gear to the team, promising the government support toward sports to ensure the development of the sector in isles.
He urged players to focus and observe discipline during the tournament so as to ensure they perform and return back with title. On his side, Zanzibar Heroes Coach Morocco urged people to believe and support the team, saying despite being in a tough group, nothing is impossible.
He said players are in high morale and are looking forward to represent well the country in a two –week long tournament. Heroes are placed in Group A which also comprises Tanzania Mainland ‘Kilimanjaro Stars’, Rwanda, Libya (Guest team) and the host Kenya.
Zanzibar will kick off their campaign in the event on Tuesday by facing Rwanda’s ‘Amavubi’. Two days later, Heroes will come face to face with their Mainland compatriot, Kilimanjaro Stars. Meanwhile the Kilimanjaro Stars under the tutelage of Coach Ammy Ninje is also expected to leave the country today in time for Senior Challenge Cup kick off.
Kilimanjaro Stars squad moved into camp in Dar es Salaam early this week, under Head Coach, Ammy Ninje, to prepare for the annual tournament. According to the fixture, Kilimanjaro Stars are scheduled to take on Libya in the opener of the event whereas the hosts Kenya will face Rwanda in group A on Sunday.
Ninje is confident that his squad will excel in the annual tournament basing on the quality and experience of the players selected to form the team. “Our main aim is to win the CECAFA tournament and bring it back home.
We are ready to compete and fight for the glory,” said Ninje. Kilimanjaro Stars team which is expected to leave the country today for Kenya comprises goalkeepers: Aishi Manula (Simba SC) and Peter Manyika (Singida United).
Defenders: Boniphace Maganga (Mbao FC), Gardiel Michael (Yanga), Kelvin Yondani (Yanga), Erasto Nyoni (Simba), Mohammed Hussein (Simba) and Kennedy Wilson from Singida United.
Midfielders are Himid Mao (Azam FC), Hamisi Abdallah (Sony Sugar- Kenya), Muzamil Yassin (Simba SC), Raphael Daudi (Yanga SC), Jonas Mkude (Simba), Shiza Kichuya (Simba), Ibrahim Ajib (Yanga) and Abdul Hilal (Tusker FC - Kenya).
Strikers are Mbaraka Yusuph (Azam), Yohana Nkomola, Elias Maguli. However, striker Daniel Lyanga from Oman’s Fanja FC who was named in the squad has yet to join the rest in the squad.
Meanwhile, Kilimanjaro Stars coach Ammy Ninje has added three new players in the squad. They are goalkeeper, Ramadhani Kabwili from Yanga, Amani Kiata from Nakuru All Stars of Kenya and Yahya Zayed from Azam FC.
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