Know Your Warriors: Ageless Chivaviro an option upfont

Innocent Kurira
AGE may not be on his side but Ranga Chivaviro remains an option upfront for the Warriors.

The 31-year-old who plays for South African giants Kaizer Chiefs was born in Limpopo, South Africa to a Zimbabwean father and a South African mother and grew up in Mpumalanga.

This makes him eligible to play for any of the two nations.

The striker has had a brilliant start to the 2024/25 season scoring two goals in Chiefs’ opening three league games.

Chivariro was on target for the Soweto giants in the ninth minute against Mamelodi Sundowns last week at FNB Stadium, but his goal was not enough for his side to win in a South African Betway Premier League heavyweights clash.

In the end, Amakhosi suffered defeat as they let slip the early lead to lose 2-1 to the Pretoria giants Sundowns, South Africa’s football kings and reigning champions. Chivaviro’s impressive show in the game resulted in talks of a possible Warriors call-up.

Chivaviro joined Chiefs at the beginning of the last season, having had a stellar campaign with Marumo Gallants where he scored 17 goals in all competitions.

Despite Gallants getting relegated to the Motsepe Foundation Championship, Chivariro helped them reach the semi-finals of the Caf Confederations Cup, before leaving for greener pastures. However, in his debut term in the traditional black and gold outfit, he failed to replicate his previous goal-scoring form, netting just four goals in 20 league appearances as Chiefs endured their worst finish in the club’s history, finishing 10th with 36 points.

Meanwhile, the national team will play Namibia in back-to-back encounters in Group J, Namibia will play host to Zimbabwe on 10 October before Zimbabwe hosts the return fixture on 14 October.

Nees kept most of the players that featured in the opening Afcon Qualifiers Group J games against Kenya and Cameroon.

Notable new faces are Terrence Dzvukamanja and Marvelous Nakamba, who are making their return to the squad.

Dzvukamanja was overlooked in the previous selection due to poor form, while Nakamba was injured. Brendan Galloway and Tinotenda Kadewere, who both withdrew from the squad for last month’s games have been included.

The Warriors camp will start tomorrow in Johannesburg, South Africa where both matches will be played.

Here is the squad
Goalkeepers:
Washington Arubi (Marumo Gallants), Marley Tavaziva (Brentford), Martin Mapisa (Dynamos)
Defenders:
Divine Lunga (Mamelodi Sundowns), Gerald Takwara (Al Minaa SC), Brendan Galloway (Plymouth Argyle), Munashe Garananga (FC Copenhagen), Godknows Murwira (Caps United), Emmanuel Jalai (Dynamos), Teenage Hadebe (FC Cincinnati), Jordan Zemura (Udinese)
Midfielders:
Marvelous Nakamba (Luton Town), Marshall Munetsi (Stade de Reims), Andy Rinomhota (Cardiff City), Tawanda Chirewa (Derby County), Brian Banda (FC Platinum), Richard Hachiro (Ngezi Platinum)
Forwards:
Tinotenda Kadewere (FC Nantes), Khama Billiat (Yadah FC), Prince Dube (Young Africans), Terrence Dzvukamanja (Supersport United), Tawanda Maswanhise (Motherwell), Daniel Msendami (Marumo Gallants), Walter Musona (Simba Bhora)