adminSenior Sports Reporter
HOW MINE Football Club’s Orange Caf Confederation Cup preliminary round first leg opponents, Chuoni from Zanzibar, are expected in Harare this afternoon. The 24-member delegation, which has 18 players and six officials, will board a flight to Bulawayo tonight ahead of their match at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday.
“They are arriving tomorrow (today) afternoon, touching down at the Harare International Airport at 1500 hours before proceeding to Bulawayo in the evening,” said Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela yesterday.
Very little is known of the Zanzibar side as even a thorough search on the internet provided little about who they are and their past achievements.
Gold miners coach Philani “Beefy” Ncube is quite aware of the task that lies ahead and will leave no stone unturned. He has even promised to use a jackhammer if it will help break the visitors’ wall, who would without doubt come with a defensive strategy.
“Like I said before, we are going into virgin territory and as such we need to be prepared for anything. I anticipate that they will be content with a draw and they will try to close their game so we have to work on penetrating them from all angles. If it means using a jackhammer, then we will come with one so that we break their wall. We just have to score and carry a healthy lead when we travel for the reverse fixture,” said Ncube.
The ambitious Ncube will bank on veterans who were key in their last season’s Premiership campaign to carry his team through. Captain Hebert Dick, defenders Gilbert Banda and Nyasha Mukumbi, Menard Mupera, goalkeeper Ephraim Mazarura and striker Kuda Musharu are expected to form the backbone of the team.
Competition is tight in the miners’ camp with Brighton Dube and Morris Kadzola fighting for a starting place on the right side of defence, Mupera, Xolisani Moyo, Warren Dube, former Njube Sundowns and Harare City’s Tendai Ngulube, ex-Caps United’s Marvel Samaneka, dribbling wizard Timothy January, experienced Wonder Sithole and Thembani Masuku competing for places in midfield.
How Mine’s registered strikers for the Caf Orange Confederation Cup are only Qinani Sibanda and Musharu. “No one is guaranteed a starting place and because we have at least two players for each position, there is healthy competition. I will only announce my squad on Friday night which gives everyone a fair chance to impress at training,” said Ncube.
Chuoni FC delegation
Abrahmani Gharib, Abdul-Kadir Ramadhan, Ahmed Abbas Mkubwa, Simai Uzia Vuai, George Thomas Mkoba, Hadhiri Ilam Ameir, Adam Hamadi Othman, Bakar Hussein Mussa, Ramadhan Hamad Othman, Mwinyi Pingwali, Hussein Khamis, Amour Ali, Hamad Mshamata Makame, Yussuf Mohamed Ali, Ahmed Mohamed Salu, Ame Ali Amour, Moka Shabani Msafiri, Ahmed Ali Suleiman, Juma Ahmed Akame, Ibrahim Rajabu Juma, Saleh Hamad Mohamed, Ali Bakar Khalfan, Bakar Ayoub Shaaban, Omar Mussa Omar
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