Afcon 2023 Qualifiers: Tanzania vs Algeria Preview - Kick-off time, TV channel, squad news

Tanzania will go for their first win in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign when they host Algeria at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Wednesday.

Taifa Stars started their Group F campaign for the finals to be held in Ivory Coast with a 1-1 draw against Niger at Stade de l’Amitie on Saturday.

Tanzania under coach Kim Poulsen had taken an early lead in the game courtesy of George Mpole before Le Mena The Mena levelled matters via Daniel Sosah for the vital point.

Meanwhile, former champions Algeria kicked off their journey to return to the Afcon finals with a 2-0 win against Uganda at Stade du 5 Juillet.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

Squads & Team News

Tanzania coach Poulsen will have his full squad to pick from against the Desert Warriors.

“We don’t have any injury concerns from the trip to Niger and my players are focused and ready to go for the three points,” Poulsen told GOAL.

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Mbwana Samatta, who features for Belgian First Division A team Royal Antwerp, on loan from Fenerbahce, will lead Taifa Stars on home soil assisted by Simon Msuva while Simba SC's Aishi Manula is a sure bet to start between the sticks.

Meanwhile, Algeria will miss the services of Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez, who was excluded from the squad by coach Djamel Belmadi for the two opening qualifiers.

Match Preview

The two nations have met six times and Tanzania are yet to beat the Desert Warriors. They have only managed three draws and suffered three defeats.

Their most recent outing was in 201 during an Afcon qualifier when Algeria won 3-0 at WE Al-Ahly Stadium in Cairo courtesy of a double from Adam Ounas and Islam Slimani.

In 2018, they met in a friendly which Algeria won 4-1 while in 2015 they clashed in a World Cup qualifier in which the Desert Warriors won the return leg 7-0 after Taifa Stars had managed a 2-2 draw in the first meeting at home.

The other two meetings came in 2010 during the Afcon qualifiers when Tanzania travelled to Algiers and picked a 1-1 draw before they returned home to register another 1-1 draw.