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Sikhumbuzo Moyo
THE Zimbabwe senior national soccer team will be looking for a high scoring margin when they play host to continental lightweights Mauritius in a second leg Chan qualifier set for Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.
The Warriors, under former Dynamos and Black Rhinos player Ian “Dibango” Gorowa, carry a seemingly healthy 3-0 lead from the first leg that was achieved through goals from Shabanie Mine forward Nelson Maziwisa who hit a brace and How Mine’s Simba Sithole.
The squad re-grouped at Prince Edward High School in Harare yesterday with 14 players from the 20 called up going through their paces under the watchful eyes of Gorowa and his two assistants Callisto Pasuwa and Jairos Tapera. Chicken Inn’s assistant coach, Mkhuphali Masuku, will join them today after leaving Bulawayo yesterday morning to meet Zifa over his appointment.
The other players, mainly from Bulawayo, were expected to join camp yesterday afternoon after being given time off to travel back home from Mauritius.
Highlanders’ Peter Rio Moyo was among the 14 that trained yesterday morning as well as Triangle’s leftback Blessing Chimwamuchere who will earn his first national team cap. Also joining camp was Caps United forward, Dominic Chungwa who was dropped at the last minute ahead of the trip to Curepipe due to a complication with his travel documents.
“I heard that Masuku will be joining the camp tomorrow (today)” said Warriors’ stand-in manager Patrick Mutesva.
He expressed satisfaction with morale in camp and said coaches were emphasising on goals.
“We want to take full advantage of our home ground and with the supporters being our 12th player, I am sure the boys will rise to the occasion and score as many goals as possible and advance to the next and final round,” said the manager.
Captained by Highlanders winger Masimba Mambare, the Warriors are likely to meet Zambia in the next round who are hot favourites to advance after holding their opponents Botswana to a 1-1 draw in Gaborone last weekend.
Zimbabwe would want to avenge their 2-0 loss to Zambia in the Cosafa Cup final played in Ndola last month.
Meanwhile, Dynamos tough defender Augustine Mbara has been ruled out of the tie due to a bereavement in his family following the passing on of his brother.
“I don’t think he will be part of the squad due to the family tragedy,” said Mutesva.
There will be fierce competition in the goalkeeping area between Tafadzwa Dube who guarded the posts in Curepipe and Munyaradzi Diya.
Gate charges for the match have been pegged at $3 for the rest of the ground while the upper grandstand will cost $10.
Online Reporter