Zanzibar Heroes eye flying start

Dar es Salaam.  After days of preparations, the stage is finally set for this year’s Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup which roars into life today in Nairobi, Kenya.

Zanzibar Heroes, the 1995 Cecafa Cup champions, launch their campaign against South Sudan’s Bright Stars in curtain-raiser of the regional tournament at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.

The Group A match kicks off at 2:00 pm, according the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) secretary general, Nicholas Musonye.

It will be followed by another Group A encounter between hosts Harambee Stars and high-flying Ethiopia, which starts at 4:00 pm.

Zanzibar Heroes are blessed with a few players whose individual brilliance can win them games while South Sudan play with power and have height advantage over most of their opponents.

Heroes head coach Salum Bausi told The Citizen by phone from Nairobi yesterday that he was optimistic his team will make a flying start at the expense of the Bright Stars.

For South Sudan, this is their second appearance in the Challenge Cup, the oldest football tournament in Africa.

In the 2012 edition, they lost all their group stage matches, and will aim at bettering that record by at least earning a point.

Zanzibar Heroes may have a better record than South Sudan in the championship, but the Isles team coach said history has taught him never to underestimate a team in any competition.

“It is always important to win the first match. We will, therefore, take nothing for granted when we confront South Sudan tomorrow (today)” said Bausi.

“My outfit comprises young but talented players who want to excel in football. I am optimistic we will make a mark in this year’s championship,” he insisted.

When unveiling his team for the Cecafa Challenge Cup nearly two weeks ago, Bausi dropped a host of experienced players from a team that competed in the 2012 edition, including goalkeeper Mwadini Ali, defenders Nadir Haroub and Aggrey Morris.

Players making up his team include strikers Hamis Mcha and Seif Karihe, who play for Azam FC, Masoud Ali of Mtibwa Sugar and Coastal Union’s Suleiman Kassim.Also in the list is Badru Ali who plays professional soccer in Egypt with Canal Suez, Awadh Juma and Hassan Seif of Mtibwa Sugar. Team captain Hamis Mcha said they have all it takes to make their presence felt in the tournament.“If you may recall, we last won the Cecafa Challenge way back in 1995. We want to repeat that memorable feat,” said Mcha, a brilliant attacking mid-fielder.