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Somalia, Tanzania to field foreign based players in CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup
Somalia and Tanzania will field some foreign based players in their teams during the 2019 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup. The regional tournament that brings together national teams in the Council of East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA) region will take place December 7-19th in Uganda.
Heyford Basir Kweku, head coach of Somalia’s Ocean Stars said in Kampala on Monday that some of his players have already arrived in Uganda and they are expecting others from Europe.
“We are taking this tournament very seriously because we want to perform well and keep improving in the rankings. We shall have some foreign based players who played in the 2021 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe,” he added.
Somalia have been placed in Group B along side Sudan, South Sudan and guest side the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Tanzania have also included Morocco based player Nickson Kibabage, Eliud Ambokile (TP Mazembe, DR Congo) and Eliuter Mpepo (Buidcom FC, Zambia) on the squad.
Nicholas Musonye, the CECAFA Secretary General says they expect a very competitive tournament this year since many teams have greatly improved.
“This will also be a good tournament for teams like Uganda and Tanzania to prepare ahead of the 2020 Africa Nations Championship to take place in Cameroon in April,” added Musonye.
Kenya’s Harambee Stars are the defending champions after they won the last event held in 2017.
Group A: Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea
Group B: DR Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia
Group C: Kenya, Tanzania, Djibouti, Zambia