‘Warriors will still play Morocco’

Sport
ZIFA insists the international friendly match against Morocco scheduled for Saturday will go ahead as planned despite the disqualification of Morocco from the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals by Caf.

ZIFA insists the international friendly match against Morocco scheduled for Saturday will go ahead as planned despite the disqualification of Morocco from the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals by Caf. TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

The Atlas Lions have been engaged in a series of international friendlies as part of their preparations for the 2015 Afcon finals as the hosts, but turned down the chance because of the threat of Ebola virus.

There have been genuine fears Morocco, who have invited Zimbabwe for a friendly match, could cancel it following their disqualification.

But Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela said the friendly match would go ahead as scheduled.

“As far as we are concerned, the friendly match will go ahead as planned despite the disqualification of Morocco,” he said.

“The team is actually leaving for Morocco on Thursday (tomorrow). That is the official position.”

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Under-23 head coach Kalisto Pasuwa

Under-23 head coach Kalisto Pasuwa has named an 18-men squad including five foreign-based stars. The Young Warriors gaffer has called up Munyaradzi Mbanje who plays for Leeds United Academy in the United Kingdom, Northampton striker David Moyo and Macauley Bonne of English League One side Colchester United.

Marvellous Nakamba who plays for Netherlands top-flight league side Vitesse and Mamelodi Sundowns winger Kuda Mahachi complete the cast of foreign-based players called up by Pasuwa.

The coach, however, has added new faces to the team that played in the last two international friendlies against Botswana and Swaziland with towering Bantu Rovers defender Teenage Hadebe, Shabanie Mine defender Douglas Sibanda and ZPC Kariba striker Tafadzwa Mavhunga making the cut.

Young Warriors team manager Patrick Mutesva said the home-based players should report for camp tonight.

“The local-based players called up should report for camp tomorrow (today) at Zifa offices,” he said. “The team will leave on Thursday (tomorrow) evening via Dubai. We will have one training session in the morning before our departure but the foreign based players including Kuda Mahachi will fly directly from their bases.”

Pasuwa did not travel to Botswana and Swaziland, preferring to stay with his club Dynamos as his assistants were attending a Caf course with his national team assistant Saul Chaminuka, the ZPC boss, taking charge of the two matches.

The Young Warriors face Swaziland in Mbabane in the first round of the All-Africa Games qualifiers in February before hosting them in March for the second leg next year.

The winner between the two will then meet Cameroon in the second round. Pasuwa’s men will also face Swaziland in the African Championships qualifying campaign in April and should they win the encounter they will face neighbours South Africa in the second round with Senegal awaiting in the third round should they triumph.

Meanwhile, Morocco has named a strong squad dominated by Europe-based professionals including Bayern Munich centre-back Mehdi Benatia for the international friendly match against Zimbabwe.

Apart from Benatia, Morocco also called up several players in Europe’s top leagues including Spain-based Issame El Adoua who stars for Levante and the duo of Nourdin Amrabat and Yassine Bounou who plays for FC Malaga and Real Zaragoza in the Spanish La Liga respectively among a host of other foreign based stars.