Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
WARRIORS coach Ramon Catala has given his provisional squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers one more match-day with their respective clubs this weekend to have a final assessment before naming the final 23-member squad on Monday.
Zimbabwe, who are in Group E of the 2027 AFCON qualifying phase, play Sierra Leone in Casablanca, Morocco on September 24 before hosting DR Congo at the National Sports Stadium four days later.
The Spaniard, appointed last month, last week named a 31-man enlarged side for the two assignments.
He won’t have all of them to camp at once, and he will assess all the individuals in the team when they play for their clubs this weekend before making his final call.
“The final 23-man squad will be released on Monday next week,” said Catala.
“We have decided to give the players an extra match-day to see what they can do before we name the final 23 to play Sierra Leone and DRC.
“But basically, we are very happy with the squad we have named as the technical team. We have the depth and strength to do well.”
While Catala will look at some smaller details in the final match day, he has given the players the chance to prove themselves; there are already players whose involvement is beyond any doubt given what they have done this season, including the likes of on-fire AmaZulu striker Thando Ngwenya, barring any injuries.
And Catala’s job can also be made easier by the fact that there are players who are currently unattached, like goalkeeper Marley Tavaziva, who was named alongside man-of-the-moment Nelson Chadya, Elvis Chipezeze and Martin Mapisa, whose inclusion in the final 23-member squad won’t make any football sense.
Tavaziva has no statistics or match fitness to warrant a place in the travelling party after the young goalkeeper was offloaded by English Premiership side Brentford.
Similarly, Brendan Galloway is currently without a club after being released by Plymouth Argyle at the end of his contract and will no doubt be without any match fitness needed for such a crucial assignment as an AFCON qualifier. But picking the final squad for the double mission isn’t the biggest worry for Catala, who also revealed that he has been busy analysing how the Leone Stars play.
“I have watched five or six matches. I have an idea of how they (Sierra Leone) play,” said Catala.
“Most of their players play abroad, and they are tricky. They are fast and fearless. That is what I have observed from the way they play.
“We really need to be detailed on them to get the points. We need to be positive as a unit. Football isn’t easy these days, and it will all come down to who does the most research and does well in several aspects.
“But we are confident in the team that we have picked and in the 23 that we will have in the two games against Sierra Leone and the DRC.”
Sierra Leone have a new coach in Didier Gomes Da Rosa, whom they appointed in June this year.
Da Rosa has vast experience coaching in Africa, with his most recent spell being with Tanzania giants SC Simba.
He has also coached in Rwanda, Egypt, Cameroon and helped Botswana qualify for the AFCON finals.
Catala acknowledged the presence of the big international contingent that powers Sierra Leone with the likes of Amara Nalio, a Liverpool star currently on loan at Finish side HJK Helsinki, United States based striker JayTee Kamara, and Amadou Bakayoko, who plays in the Japanese J League.
