Game time for fringe Warriors

By The Southern Eye | Dec. 5, 2013

NEW FACES in the Warriors camp are likely to face Mozambique in the friendly match at Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo, on Sunday as the Ian Gorowa-headed technical team assesses the players ahead of the African Nations Championships (Chan) in South Africa next month.

Gorowa was locked up in marathon meetings in Harare yesterday morning before some of the Warriors players that had assembled in the capital were due to depart for Bulawayo in the afternoon.

The full contingent of the squad was expected in camp yesterday evening in Bulawayo and start training this morning either at White City or Barbourfields Stadium.

Gorowa’s assistant Kalisto Pasuwa said this game presented a good chance for players who did not play in the qualifiers to have game time and be assessed ahead of the tournament being hosted by South Africa.

“We are trying some of the new players and assesing them before we go to South Africa. Some of these players did not have game time during the qualifiers and we are saying let’s have them play and see how they fare.

We are taking this game very seriously and obviously we have to win it. We have some of the players in Harare and we will be leaving for Bulawayo at 2pm. There are still logistical issues to be dealt with, but we hope to have our first training session tomorrow (today) morning,” Pasuwa said.

The players that are likely to have the feel of the Warriors’ jerseys on Sunday are Division One side Bantu Rovers’ captain Nqobizitha Masuku, the Black Rhinos Wonder Kapinda and Lot Chiwunga and Hwange’s Nkosana Siwela and Gerald Ndlovu.

Buffaloes’ Themba Ndlovu and Black Mambas’ Convenience Hungwe are some of the new players that have attracted Gorowa’s interest.

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Harare City’s Silas Songani will return to the Warriors squad that has been called up for the friendly match together with Highlanders Bruce Kangwa, Triangle’s Pascal Manhanga and Ali Sadiki of FC Platinum.

Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela said the Warriors were expected to assemble at Zifa’s Bulawayo offices yesterday before being taken to an undisclosed hotel.

“They will assemble at Zifa House in Bulawayo in the evening today (yesterday), before they are transported to a hotel. We don’t want to pre-empt where they will be staying for now. Tomorrow (today) they will train at either White City or Barbourfields from 9am to 11am and from 3pm to 5pm,” Gwesela said.

Mozambique are expected in Bulawayo after midday today and they will also train at either of the two stadia. After Sunday’s friendly match, the Warriors will also be expected to play Libya in another friendly match on December 18 before going into camp until early next month. The squad Munyaradzi Diya, Bruce Kangwa, Milton Ncube (Highlanders), George Chigova, Partson Jaure, Simba Sithole (Dynamos), Wonder Kapinda, Lot Chiwunga (Black Rhinos), Gerald Ndlovu, Nkosana Siwela (Hwange), Hardlife Zvirekwi (Caps United), Themba Ndlovu (Buffaloes), Felix Chindungwe, Kudakwashe Mahachi, Danny Phiri (Chicken Inn), Convenience Hungwe (Black Mambas), Pascal Manhanga, Misheck Mburayi (Triangle), Warren Dube, Simba Sithole (How Mine), Nqobizitha Masuku (Bantu Rovers), Ali Sadiki (FC Platinum)