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2012 African Cup of Nations qualifying showdown with Liberia at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.
The Warriors’ regrouped for their must-win Group A clash earlier yesterday and later held their first training session at the National Sports Stadium’s B arena with the injured Musona still conspicuous by his absence.
Belgium-based leftback Vusa Nyoni, midfielder Ovidy Karuru, who plays in France, Denmark-based winger Quincy Antipas, and the local duo of Qadr Amini and goalkeeper Marlon Jani were also not in training when the Warriors resumed their preparations under the watchful eye of coach Norman Mapeza yesterday.
The availability of the of the duo of Nyoni and Antipas is not in doubt, with the pair expected in today, while the trio of Karuru, Jani and Amini were scheduled to join camp late last night.
But the BIG question remains whether Musona, scorer of the Warriors’ three goals in this campaign, will be able to fly in from his new German Bundesliga club TSG Hoffenheim and be available for the showdown against the Lone Star.
Ironically, Musona grabbed his first Warriors goal against the Liberians on the opening weekend of the 2012 Nations Cup qualifiers in a 1-1 draw in Monrovia in September last year.
Exactly a year after his pace, close ball control and dribbling skills troubled the Lone Star all night, Musona remains a major doubt with the senior team’s technical department and the Warriors fans fretting over his fitness and availability.
Warriors manager Sharrif Mussa said yesterday he was expecting the medical report from Hoffenheim today after which he will pass it onto the senior team’s medical team that includes doctors Nicholas Munyonga and Edward Chagonda and physiotherapist Lloyd Maungwa.
“We are just awaiting one or two papers from the doctors for his (Knowledge’s) team to say whether he can do strenuous activity again.
“We cannot rule him out at the moment because once the papers have come our medical team, who understand the terminology, will help to make a determination on whether the report means we can bring him in from Germany or not.
“At the same time we will also be considerate and we will not do anything that would aggravate the injury should there be indications that strenuous activities will work negatively for the player,” Mussa said.
Munyonga said they were also keen to make their own assessment of the former Kaizer Chiefs’ hitman.
“We would have wanted to assess him in person and make our opinion and even in my communication with him he felt that it would only be fair that we do our own assessment when he comes,” Munyonga said.
But away from the genuine concerns over Musona’s availability for the crucial assignment, in which the Warriors need to win to keep pace with the leading duo of Cape Verde and second-placed Mali, Mussa and Mapeza were happy to have the rest of their troops working out at the B-arena.
“The turnout on the first day has been encouraging and we had everybody from South Africa and the local players available so we immediately got down to business at the B-arena.
“We are now just expecting Marlon Jani to come in from Bulawayo tonight as you know Motor Action had a game there.
“Qadr Amini had gone to South Africa but should be coming back tonight so, apart from Quincy and Vusa who are coming in tomorrow, everyone else should be in by tonight,” Mussa said.
Skipper Method Mwanjali of Mamelodi Sundowns led the South African contingent that also includes veteran Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Tinashe Nengomasha, eccentric goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini, Moroka Swallows newboy Gilbert Mapemba and the Ajax Cape Town pair of Khama Billiat and the returning Tafadzwa Rusike.
Liberia, who anchor the Group A standings but are still very much in the race for qualification, are not taking any chances in this game and were expected to arrive in Harare last night, amid revelations that they had already sent their team manager as an advance party. It has, however, emerged that the Lone Star will make the trip to Harare without one of their key defenders – Jimmy Dixon.
The 29-year-old centreback was one of 11 eleven overseas- based called up for the showdown with the Warriors.
Dixon has, however, been ruled out after his Turkish club Manisaspor advised the Liberia Football Association that the defender was injured.
According to reports from Monrovia, the club indicated that Dixon needed at further 10 days before he can resume playing.
The LFA, just like Zifa, were also reported to be contemplating calling Dixon to make their own assessment of the defender’s injury.
But the Lone Star were expected to fly in with a squad led by captain and gangly midfielder Anthony Laffor of former South African champions SuperSport United and unattached forward Francis Doe.
Should the Warriors win and Mali and Cape Verde draw in the other Group A encounter, Mapeza’s men will take pole position for the first time and set the stage for a frenetic end to the qualification race in October.
Latest Group A standings:
P W D L F A Pts
Cape Verde 4 2 1 1 5 3 7
Mali 4 2 0 2 4 4 6
Zimbabwe 4 1 2 1 3 3 5
Liberia 4 1 1 2 5 7 4
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