AFCON 2025: Rochdale winger Tarryn Allarakhia earns place in Tanzania Africa Cup of Nations squad for second time

On Boxing Day 2023, Tarryn Allarakhia performed an hour of Wealdstone’s 2-0 win over Maidenhead United within the National League. 

Less than two weeks later he was making his debut for Tanzania in a pleasant in opposition to Egypt, going through off in opposition to Mohamed Salah, Mohamed Elneny, Trezeguet and Omar Marmoush, no much less.

The phrase ‘whirlwind’ involves thoughts.

Allarakhia was east London born and raised; his mum is English, along with his Tanzanian heritage from his dad. He was on Leyton Orient’s books as a teenager, however barring three seasons at Crawley between 2018 and 2021, has in any other case performed in non-League.

The 28-year-old had visited his nan and different relations in “beautiful” Tanzania a handful of instances, however the stage he was enjoying at meant enjoying worldwide soccer was removed from his thoughts.

That modified when he acquired a name from the top coach on the time, Adel Amrouche, following a dialog with Haji Mnoga, one other UK-born Tanzania worldwide, who was then on mortgage at Aldershot from Portsmouth.

“My name came up and the manager said he liked the way I play,” Allarakhia says.

“He actually came all the way over to watch me play. That’s when I knew he was really, really keen on me.

“Nothing was sure or concrete initially, however there ideas that it might occur. When the chance to play for Tanzania got here up, I knew I’d like to play for them and it was one thing I needed to verify off the listing.”

Early within the new 12 months, he flew to Cairo and on January 7 2024, changed Simon Msuva at half-time to earn that historic first cap.

“When I stepped into the stadium, then heard the national anthem, it dawned on me I was playing international football.

“I would not say it a second the place I used to be starstruck once I got here up in opposition to all these stars, but it surely was like: ‘Wow, I’m truly right here!’

“I came on and I just thought: ‘What is there to lose?’ No one really knew who I was, so I just had to go out there and show what I could do.

“I had a very good recreation as nicely, to be honest, so it was a profitable debut.

“I did try to get Salah’s shirt afterwards, but there were too many security guards so I thought I’d just leave it and take the memories!”

The whirlwind shortly continued as a result of Allarakhia was then named in Amrouche’s squad for the delayed AFCON 2023 within the Ivory Coast, alongside the aforementioned Mnoga and Ben Starkie, who spoke to Sky Sports about their very own experiences within the lead-up to the event.

“When you’re new, it’s hard and, to be fair, all the boys made time for me, which helped us gel,” he provides.

“But it was good to have all the European boys there. It makes a big difference and it makes you more comfortable when you’ve got familiar faces around you.

“If I went there alone, I believe it will have been a lot more durable.”

Just 10 days after his debut, Allarakhia started on the left wing in what was only the Taifa Stars’ seventh AFCON match, against Morocco.

“In Egypt I did not get starstruck, however at AFCON, that is the place I used to be like: ‘Wow. This is mad. I’m right here.’

“But that game didn’t go as good as the first one. I got humbled by Achraf Hakimi, the best right-back in the world.

“It was an amazing studying curve. The local weather did not assist, going from enjoying in England to enjoying in 40-degree warmth, however I made positive I took each single bit I might study from that recreation to assist me be prepared for the subsequent one.”

Allarakhia was on the bench for the next two group games, by which point Hemed Morocco had been installed as caretaker, with Amrouche suspended by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF).

The Algerian coach had been handed an eight-match ban and a $10,000 fine by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). A TFF statement said he had made comments about “Morocco having affect in CAF, to govern the match scheduling and officiating”.

Tanzania exited AFCON 2023 at the group stages, but did so respectably, given the disruption behind the scenes, having lost 3-0 to Morocco, drawn 1-1 with Zambia and 0-0 with DR Congo.

Allarakhia earned his third cap when he performed in a 1-0 pleasant defeat to Bulgaria in March 2024, however was not a part of the nationwide group set-up once more for greater than 18 months.

That was till October, when coach Morocco recalled him for a World Cup qualifier in opposition to Zambia and a pleasant in opposition to Iran.

“At AFCON, I didn’t really hit the ground running like against Egypt, so maybe he just thought having a little break from it would help a little bit – and to be fair, I think it actually did,” Allarakhia says.

“I had a really good camp. A very positive camp. That’s why I feel like now it’s time to kick on.”

In November, he returned to Cairo for a pleasant in opposition to Kuwait the place he scored his first worldwide aim in type. He collected a sq. ball within the D, took a neat contact and fired into the highest proper nook.

On December 9, Allarakhia was named within the squad for AFCON 2025 by Miguel Gamondi – the brand new everlasting Tanzania head coach.

He is set to seized this second alternative.

“Even though that first AFCON didn’t go as I wanted to, football changes very quickly. There’s another opportunity now where I can redeem myself. I’m older, a bit wiser and I feel stronger and fitter.

“Honestly, it would mean the world to me if I can help my country go far in a major tournament, especially when we’re the underdogs. It just makes it better.

“We’ve bought a tricky group, however hopefully I may very well be the distinction going ahead.”

The trade-off is temporarily leaving Rochdale’s promotion push. Dale are top of the National League at the time of writing, with three games in hand, and Allarakhia has chipped in with three goals and one assist so far.

“We’re in a promotion push and I’m nonetheless a part of that. Playing in your nation is an enormous factor and Rochdale have been superb to me. They’re encouraging me to go.”

He will probably be hoping that the arrogance gained from home soccer will play an essential position in impressing in entrance of the eyes of the world.