The Taifa Stars captain is confident they have what it takes to get a win against their neighbours
Tanzania striker Mbwana Samatta has tipped his team to get a win against Burundi in a friendly set for Sunday.
The Taifa Stars captain scored two goals for Fenerbahce as the Turkish giants defeated Fatih Karagumruk 2-1 in his full Super Lig debut on Saturday, and believes the squad in camp is good enough to give the country a win when the two sides clash at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
“I have faith with the players’ coach Etienne Ndayiragije has called for the national team mission against Burundi, and I am very confident we as a team, will win the forthcoming game,” Samatta is quoted as saying by Daily News after reporting to camp on Tuesday.
“The challenge has always been the environment; you will meet with new faces, languages, different game tactics, new team, and everything is new when you join a club, but with the national team, you easily get familiar to each other.”
Samatta moved to Fenerbahce on loan from Premier League side Aston Villa and had a memorable outing as he made his first start in the Turkish Super Lig at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium.
On his transfer to Fenerbahce, Samatta said: “There was a lot that had to come prior to my move to Fenerbahce, but I do not think this is the time to speak on it. I guess I will comment on that after the game, where I will be able to speak on my career journey, starting from its beginning.”
He is among the foreign-based players named in the Taifa Stars squad by coach Ndayiragije, others being Thomas Ulimwengu, who plays in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Himid Mao, who plays in Egypt, Simon Msuva and Nickson Kibabage, who are based in Morocco, and Ally Msengi in South Africa.
Tanzania will be taking part in the African Nations Championship and the Burundi tactician will be using the friendly match to gauge the fitness and preparedness of his charges.
Taifa Stars will be playing Tunisia on November 11 away, before hosting them in Dar es Salaam two weeks later. The East African nation started the campaign in Group J with a 2-1 win over Equatorial Guinea before falling 2-1 away to Libya in their second game.
The Tanzania Mainland League has been active since June 13 which will be a boost to their players' fitness ahead of the Burundi assignment.