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The national football team, Taifa Stars, head coach Charles Boniface Mkwasa said that they are focused and ready for the crucial African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Nigeria.

Charles Boniface Mkwasa

The Taifa Stars are currently training in Turkey in preparation for the forthcoming AFCON qualifier against the Super Eagles at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on September 5.

Mkwasa, who spoke after his side’s 2-1 loss to Libya in a build-up match, expressed confidence in the ability of the team, adding that he was positive about their fitness and readiness for the clash after a week-long camp in Turkey.

“The training has helped build the players’ stamina, you can see they play with vigour all the time, they defend and attack as a team, this is a good sign for the lads ahead of the game against Nigeria,” he said.

He said the team has trained well in all aspects of the game, including building stamina and the tempo of their game.

The coach reiterated that the Turkey camp was beneficial technically, as they were able to work with the players and implement their training programme in an ideal environment.

The Stars squad held their last training session yesterday before boarding the plane back home for final preparations ahead of the visit of Nigeria.

The Stars will host former African champions, the Super Eagles looking to bounce back from a 3-0 opening defeat away to Egypt. The Eagles, on the other hand, will be seeking to maintain their winning start following a 2-0 triumph over Chad on match-day one.