Deprived of Clement Mzize and Dickson Job, who stayed behind at Young Africans for treatment, Tanzania face Nigeria on Friday 13 November in Uyo, an opponent they have never beaten.
The Tanzania delegation has arrived in Uyo, where it will face Nigeria on Friday 13 November at 17:00 WAT at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium. But head coach Miguel Gamondi will have to make do without Clement Mzize and Dickson Job: according to Dongqiudi, the two players stayed with Young Africans to receive treatment there.
The Tanzanian squad is therefore down to 22 players out of 24, split evenly between 12 locally based players and 12 expatriates. The Taifa Stars have one point from two matches in Group L, after a 2-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau and a 1-1 draw with Madagascar.
Mzize and Job, two comebacks from injury
According to Dongqiudi, Clement Mzize and Dickson Job had only just returned from injury. They are staying at Young Africans, their club, to continue their treatment and are not making the trip to Nigeria.
For Miguel Gamondi, this withdrawal reduces the room for manoeuvre of a squad already two players short before this match against the Super Eagles.
A record that favours the Nigerians
Of the 11 meetings between the two national teams, Nigeria have won seven and drawn four. The Taifa Stars have never beaten the Super Eagles, according to Dongqiudi.
The last encounter ended in a 2-1 win for Nigeria in the group stage of AFCON 2025. Tanzania, co-host of AFCON 2027, have already qualified for the continental tournament: according to Dongqiudi, the real race in Group L is between Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau.
Kasongo states his ambitions
Despite this context, the head of the Tanzanian federation, Almasi Kasongo, said the following, in comments reported by Dongqiudi: “We are not scared. Football is a game of 90 minutes. We know the quality of Nigeria’s players and their pedigree.”
The return match will be played in Tanzania on Tuesday 17 November.