Tanzania’s national team Taifa Stars suffered a 1-0 defeat against Bulgaria in their first FIFA Series 2024 friendly match at Dalga Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan on Friday.

Kiril Despodov netted through a well-connected set-piece in the 51st minute to give his team the victory. Kibu Denis, Feisal Salum and substitute Clement Mzize misused great scoring opportunities for Stars throughout the tense game.

Up next, Stars play Mongolia in their second and last FIFA Series encounter on Monday. Meanwhile, after today’s encounter, Simba SC and Young Africans (Yanga SC) players who were in the Taifa Stars squad will begin the trip back home.

They are coming back to rejoin their clubs as they gear up to host Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns in the first leg quarter-final matches of CAF Champions League.

Simba players, who are returning back home are Aishi Manula, Mohamed Hussein, Kennedy Juma and Kibu Denis while for Yanga, they are Aboutwaleeb Mshery, Bakari Mwamnyeto, Ibrahim Bacca, Mudathir Yahya and Clement Mzize.