Chronicle Editor
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Warriors are expected to get into camp on 23 December, six days ahead of departure for the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Wellington Mpandare, the Zimbabwe Football Association’s general-manager for national teams said the Warriors will get together two days before Christmas, with the team to depart for Cameroon on 29 December.
A provisional squad of 40 players has already been submitted to the Confederation of African Football (Caf) as per the tournament regulations, with Mpandare indicating that the final list of 23 has to be handed in 10 days before Zimbabwe’s opening match at the Afcon.
Mpandare said the squad of 40 will be made public this week.
Zimbabwe take on Senegal in their opening fixture at Afcon on 10 January at Kouekong Stadium in Bafoussam, the same venue for the second match against Malawi on 14 January.
The Warriors finish off their group stage on 18 January when they square off against Guinea at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Cameroon’s capital city, Yaoundé.
“We submitted the provisional squad of 40 players long back, we have to submit the final squad of 23, 10 days before start of our first game,’’ Mpandare said.
On possible friendly matches, Mpandare gave indications that these will be decided on by the technical team, which is likely to be led by Norman Mapeza.
The Warriors look set to be without the injured duo of Brendan Galloway and Marshal Munetsi, Tendayi Darikwa has asked to be excused from the tournament while Khama Billiat last month announced his retirement from international football.
Billiat could, however, change his mind depending on the outcome of his talks between him and the Zifa, that are aimed at bringing back one of the Zimbabwe’s current generation’s best players. — @Mdawini_29
Online Reporter