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Berahino, Razak among 20-man Burundi squad for Tanzania friendly
The Swallows will be using the match to sharpen themselves ahead of their Afcon qualifiers in November
Saido Berahino is part of the Burundi national team that will land in Tanzania on Wednesday morning ahead of the international friendly scheduled for Sunday at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The 32-man contingent will then have a rest before getting a chance to train, while coach Jimmy Ndayizeye trimmed his initial squad of 36 players to 20.
All eyes will be on the former Stoke City striker Berahino who currently plays for Belgian outfit Zulte Waregem. The 27-year-old has 12 appearances for the national team and managed to score one goal in the process.
Coach Ndayizeye hopes the striker can inspire the East Africa nation to victory over their hosts.
Most probably, he will be paired with striker Namungo FC striker Blaise Bigirimana, who has managed to score two goals for the Tanzania Mainland League outfit this season.
Of the 20 players who have been selected to do the job on Sunday, nine are locally-based with the rest based abroad.
The Swallows are using the friendly match to prepare for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier doubleheader against Mauritania. Burundi will be hosting them on November 9 before playing away eight days later.
Burundi started their campaign in Group E away to the Central African Republic but ended up falling 2-0 after strikes from Vivien Mabide and Louis Mafouta.
They followed it up with another 3-0 loss, this time around to the North Africa giants Morocco, with Noussair Mazraoui, Youssef En-Nesyri, and Achraft Hakimi Mouh getting onto the score sheet.
Burundi squad:
Local players: Onesime Rukundo (Messager Ngozi), Eric Ndizeye (Musongati), Issa Hakizimana (Flambeau Du Centre), Emery Nimubona (Musongati), Blanchard Ngabonziza (Aigle Noir), Asman Ndikumana (Aigle Noir), Danny Cedrick Urasenga (Messager Ngozi), Alberto Mugisha (Musongati), Saido Ntibazonkiza.
Foreign players: Saido Berahino (Zulte Waregem, Belgium), Cedric Amissi (Al-Taawoun, Saudi Arabia), Mohamed Amissi (Eredivisie club Heracles Almelo, Belgium), Philip Nzeyimana Oslev (Akademisk Boldklub Gladsaxe, Denmark), Frederic Nsabiyumva (Chippa United, South Africa), Bonfils Caleb Bimenyimana (Pohronie, Slovak), Youssuf Nyange Ndayishimiye (Yeni Malatyaspor, Turkey), Abdoul Razak Fiston (ENPPI, Egypt), Jonathan Nahimana (Goalkeeper – Namungo, Tanzania), Blaise Bigirimana (Namungo, Tanzania), Steve Nzigamasabo (Namungo, Tanzania)
