Mumias — Tanzania hope to have a fully fit squad for their clash with Zanzibar today in the third match of the ongoing Orange Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup in Mumias.

Musa Mgosi and Mrisho Ngasa should start at Mumias Sports Complex, having sat on the bench during their 2-0 humbling at the hands of Uganda on Sunday evening.

One definite absentee, however, will be Simba Sports Club central defender, Juma Nyoso, who was sent off for a second bookable offence during the Uganda tie.

Tanzanian head coach, Marcio Maximo has called on the Kilimanjaro Stars to maintain the home form they have shown since over the months and repeat the performance they put in for his very first match.

The Brazilian's reign at the mainland team has been phenomenal, despite starting the tournament on a wrong footing, and Maximo is hoping for the same outcome this afternoon.

"We are really looking forward to the game," he said. "We need to replicate our home form, which has been excellent and we are going to try and continue that as much as we possibly can."

To overcome a side that has the highest goal haul in a single match of the tournament thus far (four against Burundi), it will take more than just talk.

The Islanders have been on a roll, and although things have started to warm up here, their leadership in Group C with a superior goal difference of two, it surely must give them the bragging rights.

"They have lots of strengths, but they have lots of weaknesses as well. We must take the game to them and cut off their moves early enough. This group seems to be difficult than many had thought," added the Brazilian, as he hopes to exorcise what has been a hit-and-miss season so far for Tanzania.

However, victory on Tuesday at 4pm will bring Tanzania level on points with Zanzibar, and Maximo is in positive mood about the way things are progressing.

"We don't have any points so far, but that doesn't mean we've surrendered. There are two more matches to go and we will be looking for those three points to stand a chance of advancing (to quarterfinals)," he added "We'll hopefully be in the top half and it will give the players even more confidence to go on and try and get more victories, and more goals."

Mainland in good form

Tanzania's captain, Salum Swed is hopeful of shaking off a groin worry which he suffered on Sunday. The lanky player has provided an effective shield for Tanzania's defence when fit for selection and admits he takes as much satisfaction from keeping goals out at one end as he would from scoring them at the other.

"If I manage things with the defenders and we keep a clean sheet, I think my job is done," Swed said. "That is my job in the team-I'm not asked to do anything else, score goals or do crazy tricks. My work is to protect that back four and every time we get a clean sheet from a game, I feel like I have scored a goal."

Swed has helped Tanzania maintain their good form from last edition and the team goes into today's match hoping to score early goals and maintain their cool.

But the captain will need to marshal his troops in a bid to contain the well-oiled striking axis of Sulleiman Kassin, Mohamed Salum and Hassan Seif.

Teams: Zanzibar - Ali Mwadini, Ahmed Malik, Wazir Salum, Nadir Haroub, Aggrey Morris, Abdulhaum Homu, Abdulghan Gulam, Abdi Kassim, Hassan Seif, Mohamed Salum, Seleiman Kassim.Tanzania - Muharami Mohamed, Shadrack Nsajigwa, Juma Jabu, Kelvin Yondani, Salum Swed, Mrisho Ngasa, Danny Mrwanda, Shaaban Nditi, John Bosco, Kigi Makasi, Nurdin Bakari.