Allarakhia off to AFCON after Tanzania selection

Wealdstone winger Tarryn Allarakhia will head to Ivory Coast this month after he was selected in Tanzania's 27-man squad for the 2023 African Cup of Nations tournament.

Rewarded for his brilliant form in the National League of late, this is his first call-up for the Taifa Stars and he'll be looking to make his mark in the prestigious international tournament.

This is Tanzania manager Adel Amrouche's first tournament in charge of the Taifa Stars and it's the only the third time that the nation have qualified.

Allarakhia could be the first ever Stones to play in the tournament, former winger David Sesay was called up by Sierra Leone for the 2021 tournament but didn't play a game.

Tanzania's group includes 2012 champions Zambia who are managed by former Chelsea boss Avram Grant, DR Congo who have won the competition twice before and World Cup semi-finalists and one of the tournament favourites in Morocco.

The Taifa Stars begin their tournament on 17th January against Morocco in San-Pedro before playing Zambia in the same stadium on 21st January and they finish Group F against DR Congo in Korhogo on 24th January.

We wish Tarryn all the best as he flies out to join his teammates this week in Cairo, where he'll be hoping to earn his first cap in a warm-up friendly against an Egypt side captained by Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.