dyton mupawaenda
Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
TAKE a bow for Michael Nees.
He has made the Warriors such a box-office attraction for the players who had turned their back on the national team, many of them out of frustration. Six months ago, he plucked Khama Billiat out of international retirement.
The gaffer also risked it all by recalling forgotten goalkeeper Washington Arubi back into the Warriors.He has now scored yet another huge goal after convincing Knowledge Musona to come back into the fold from retirement.
Nees kept the conversation with Musona to himself and, with the help of the player’s reserved personality, nothing ever leaked.
And, when Nees read Musona’s name aloud when announcing his squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Benin and Nigeria next week, many were left stunned.
Yet the former Kaizer Chiefs man was even supposed to pitch up for the national team, having already accepted to make a retirement U-turn back in November when Zimbabwe played Kenya.
“Sometimes less talk is more,” said Nees. “Knowledge (Musona) is a good player. He will add a lot of value to the team.
“He was supposed to come in November, yes November. We even applied for his visa. He has a huge personality and he didn’t want to steal the show since we had already won two games against Namibia.
“But he was ready to come if we had then lost to Kenya or we had encountered a major problem like suspension or injury.
“It could be that two, three players are injured or suspended and you have to go to Cameroon and maybe get a win or a draw.
“So we applied for a visa. It shows the positive character and that’s what we need. Not put me first, put the team first, the country first. Everybody has to pull in the same direction.
“Everybody needs Musona to add value to the team.”
Musona will now be in line to become the first Zimbabwean to feature in four AFCON finals if he gets onto the plane to Morocco at the end of the year. But before he can think of the record, he has to pitch up and help the Warriors turn their World Cup qualifiers around.
Zimbabwe host Benin at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Thursday next week before flying to Uyo, Nigeria, for an away date with the Super Eagles five days later.
Despite his much-publicised injury, captain Marvelous Nakamba is in the team. Nees said he would like to have the skipper assessed by the national team medical section before they make any decision.
Arubi has also been named in the team although he was hospitalised last week due to an injury.
Nees said Tino Kadewere had been left out because he has not been getting game time at his French side Nantes while Belgium-based Bill Antonio has yet to regain his full fitness having recently returned from an CL injury.
Warriors Squad
Goalkeepers: Washington Arubi (Marumo Gallants), Marley Tavaziva (Brentford), Martin Mapisa (MWOS FC)
Defenders: Jordan Zemura (Udinese), Divine Lunga (Sundowns), Gerald Takwara (Al Minaa SC), Munashe Garananga (FC Copenhagen, ISheanes Mauchi (Simba Bhora), Peter Muduhwa (Scottland), Godknows Murwira (Scottland), Emmanuel Jalai (Dynamos)
Midfielders: Marshall Munetsi (Wolves), Andy Rinomhota (Cardiff City), Marvelous Nakamba (Luton Town), Tawanda Chirewa (Huddersfield), Khama Billiat (Scottland) Knowledge Musona (Al-Okhdood), Tawanda Chirewa (Huddersfield Town)
Forwards: Prince Dube (Young Africans), Tawanda Maswanhise (Motherwell), Terrence Dzvukamanja (Supersport United), Tymon Machope (Scottland), Walter Musona (Scottland)
Online Reporter