Tanzania assistant coach Sylvester Marsh believes The Taifa Stars will hold their own when they host Zambia on Saturday in Dar-es-Salaam despite no-shows by some key players.

The Taifa Stars are sweating on the availability of their TP Mazembe strikers Mbwana Samatta and Thomas Ulimwengu.

Both players have failed to report for training camp with just three days before hosting Zambia on December 22 in Dar-es-Salaam.

“Zambia are a top team, they are champions of Africa, so we must raise our performance for this match,” Marsh told the Tanzania Daily News.

But Marsh remained upbeat that Ulimwengu and Samatta, who have failed to return calls despite being cleared by Mazembe for the friendly, will turn-up for training.

“We’re still unsure about Samatta and Ulimwengu because they have not reported for training,” Marsh said.

“We would like to have them at least from today so that they can train with the rest of the team for the remaining few days and be ready for Saturday’s match.”

7 COMMENTS

chinyama December 18, 2012 At 7:11 pm

zambia please stand to every bodies expectations as African champions.Wishing you well…
Chibesa December 18, 2012 At 9:29 pm

Friendlies are there to assess some fringe players and even experiment on systems.A good result would just be a bonus.
Wantanshi December 19, 2012 At 4:42 am

If Chipolopolo could replicate the performance in 2007 when they thrashed Bafana 3-1, playing the way did, would almost guarantee a win every time they take to the pitch. But now there approach is like a zaiko langa langa song which starts a slow meander only heating up towards the end.
Lufwi Nyemba December 19, 2012 At 6:34 am

What’s wrong with some TP Mazembe players? These 2 Mwachusa chaps with Given Singuluma. They get a bit of Katumbi’s muchanga & trash their nations’ honor. Do these boys think?
CAF-U December 19, 2012 At 10:11 am

Of cause most footballers think with their legs!Zambia will thump them of cause its a leg game and no IQ’s needed.GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.
chistine Kasweka December 19, 2012 At 11:06 am

Chipolopolo, A win will make us the proudest Zambians
Secretrival December 19, 2012 At 11:23 am

Even if a friendly is meant to assess players, ala te ticketi lyakuya mukulusa, mwachilamo fye bane. Uno muku nga mwalusa, ine ukwaba fye ba FAZ, Coach nama players fired. Watch me pa 23 December 2012 as I will call the wheep mu Levy Mwanawasa stadium.
Muleposako amano bane ukulusa teko. We know game ni fifty fifty chance, but as African Champs we have to strive to maintain the standard of a champion. Ati iyo kabili niba Sychelles, no ge nangu tiluse, taukaya wina ku AFCON nga twakumana na Nigeria. Ala mwafwa pantu nafyo fikesa na plan imbi.Ichindikeni bane mukulusa kwenu uko…………