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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
NYASHA MUSHEKWI became the first of the Zimbabwean contingent to fly into Nigeria as the high-profile international friendly between the Warriors and the Super Eagles on Saturday started to gather momentum.
The two AFCON-bound side will battle at the Stephen Keshi International Stadium in Asaba with Mushekwi set to feature in his first game for his country since the 2017 AFCON finals in Gabon.
Coach Sunday Chidzambwa drafted the big forward after establishing he wanted someone who could provide goals for the team which, in qualifiers, has relied heavily on Knowledge Musona and Khama Billiat.
The two forwards scored all but one of the goals for the Warriors in the qualifiers.
Roving left-back, Ronald Pfumbidzai, scored the other goal.
Mushekwi, who plies his trade for Dalian Yifang in the Chinese Super League, told The Herald shortly before setting off for Nigeria he was looking forward to a reunion with his national teammates.
The match on Saturday is the Warriors’ last preparatory game before they set off to Cairo for their 2019 AFCON finals campaign.
The rest of the Zimbabwe team is expected to leave South Africa today for the West African country.
The Super Eagles’ chief striker, Odion Ighalo, also plays in the Chinese Super League and has already been in camp in Asaba.
“We are utilising every FIFA window available, as you know we will be playing Zimbabwe and Senegal,” Nigerian Football Federation president, Amaju Pinnick, told TVCconnect News.
‘’I believe the @NGSuperEagles are well prepared mentally and psychologically for the #AFCON2019.”
Yesterday, Arsenal star, Alex Iwobi, who scored in the UEFA Europa League in his team’s 1-4 defeat at the hands of Chelsea in Baku, Azerbaijan, joined camp alongside the pacey forward Ahmed Musa.
Musa caught the eye with a double strike against Lionel Messi’s Argentina at the World Cup in Russia last year.
Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr, has revealed he will unveil the players who will represent the continent’s most populous country in Egypt after the match against the Warriors.
The German mentor said all the players in camp had a good chance of making the trip to Egypt.
“I have to access the players in training and also make my final conclusion after given the players the chance to play against Zimbabwe before picking my 23 players for the AFCON,’’ Rohr was quoted by the Nigerian daily newspaper, The Guardian.
“The Nations Cup would be tough and only the strongest and fittest team have the chance to win the championship.
“To achieve this, the Super Eagles need to be exposed in rigorous training two times a day. They would train in the morning, afternoon and evening to keep them fit for the challenges ahead.
“Every player would be given equal chance to prove himself.’’
Zimbabwe vice captain, Ovidy Karuru, also revealed there was an intense fight for places for the AFCON squad with everyone fighting for a seat on the plane to Egypt.
“It is tough, it is very tough, no one is guaranteed a place in the team because the competition that is here in camp you can’t tell who will go or who will play,’’ said Karuru.
“Everyone wants to go, everyone is fighting for a seat to go to Cairo and that is the spirit we want as a nation we want fighters, we don’t want to go there to add numbers.
“The competition is high I am sure if we were allowed to carry 34 players, the coaches were going to carry all the 34 because everyone is fighting for a place and pushing hard and trying very hard to impress the coaches.
“It is every player’s dream to play at the AFCON, it is the biggest in Africa and everyone is fighting to go.”
Online Reporter