TANZANIA Mainland soccer team, Kilimanjaro Stars has been drawn in the group of death and are scheduled to open their 2017 Senior Challenge Cup title bid campaign against guest nation Libya.
The 2017 Council for East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA), Senior Challenge Cup will be staged from December 3 to 17 in Kenya.
According to a draw conducted yesterday in Nairobi, Kilimanjaro Stars have been pitted in group A alongside Zanzibar, Rwanda’s Amavubi, guest nation Libya alias ‘The Mediterranean Knights and hosts Kenya ‘Harambee Stars.’
However, speaking shortly after the draw was released, the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), Media and Communications Officer, Alfred Lucas, said Kilimanjaro Stars have been drawn in a relative fair group, although he predicted stiff competition from other teams.
“It is a relative fair but tough group basing on the quality of teams we have been drawn against ... certainly, we believe and are confident that our team will perform well in the tournament because we have a good team capable of battling for the title,” said Lucas.
Lucas said the federation will today release its strategic plan for the preparations of the tournament. He said among things which the federation will do today is to announce the team’s technical bench and tomorrow, the named coach is expected to pick players for the event.
Accordion to the fixture, Kilimanjaro Stars are scheduled to take on Libya in the opener of the event whereas hosts Kenya will face Rwanda in group A on December 3rd.
The tournament defending champions Uganda, the Cranes, have been pooled in Group B alongside with Zimbabwe, Burundi, Ethiopia and South Sudan and they are going to kick off their title defence campaign on December 4th against Zimbabwe’s Warriors.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe who are due to play in this year’s tournament as guest team have affirmed that they will send their team to Kenya despite the ongoing political uncertainty in the Southern African nation.
According to CECAFA Secretary General, Nicholas Musonye, Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has communicated that they will be sending their team for the event.
Zimbabwe is the current Southern African champions, having beaten Zambia in the final of the COSAFA Cup held in July. “We are getting set to have a very fruitful tournament which will also help our teams that have qualified for the 2018 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) to prepare better,” said Musonye.
However, three members of CECAFA - Eritrea, Djibouti and Sudan - have withdrawn from the tournament although all three are expected to send officials to a CECAFA assembly on December 2.
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