Taifa Stars assistant coach, Sylvester Marsh

Taifa Stars midfielder Nurdin Bakari and striker Thomas Ulimwengu, who have been on the sick bay, have resumed light training sessions with their colleagues as the team gears up for the 2014 World Cup qualifier first leg against Cote d’Ivoire this weekend in Abidjan.

While Bakari had a thigh injury, Ulimwengu has been troubled by leg as they both missed a final build up friendly against Malawi played at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam last Saturday.

The duo has been training under the supervision of assistant coach Sylvester Marsh while the rest of the team members train under Kim Poulsen.

Taifa Stars physician Mwanandi Mwankemwa said the condition of the players is improving and whether they would board the flight to Abidjan or not it remains to be decided by the head coach, Poulsen.

While Ulimwengu features for The Democratic Republic of Congo’s TP Mazembe, Bakari is the only player from former Mainland premiership champions Young Africans.

Besides Cote d’Ivoire, Taifa Stars are grouped together with Morocco and Gambia in the ad hoc qualifier series.

Taifa Stars have never qualified to play in the World Cup and coach Poulsen will be the first to break the voodoo should he successfully find a breakthrough.

Morocco and Cote d’Ivoire are regular campaigners and have featured in the globe’s biggest football stage.