LOGA FORCED TO USE LOCAL BASED PLAYERS FOR MALAWI FRIENDLY
Zimbabwe Warriors coach Zdravko Logarusic will have little value in the upcoming friendly match against Malawi on Sunday ahead of a back to back Afcon 2021 qualifyer against Algeria next month as he will not have chance to assess most of his first team players.
However, a number of letters inviting the targeted players were either sent late or ended up at the wrong clubs.
The Croat had initially requested all foreign based players for Malawi friendly including skipper Knowledge Musona, Nyasha Munetsi, Tino Kadewere, Tendayi Darikwa, Adam Chicksen, Macauley Bonne and goalkeeper Martin Mapisa whom he had selected for the Algeria encounter before it was forced off due to Covid pandemic
Munetsi’s French club, Stade Reims, wrote to ZIFA telling them he would not be released because their request came late, the Herald reported.
The Warriors are still to appoint a team manager, after Wellington Mpandare’s contract expired at the beginning of the year and this has compounded the situation.
The technical team were forced to select players from the local league and few from Zambia the likes of Takudzwa Chimwemwe of Buildcon, Jimmy Dzingai (Nkana) and new boy Tanaka Chinyahara from Red Arrows.
But, half the squad is made up of locally-based players who haven’t played a competitive game this year and there are genuine concerns about their match fitness.
The players are likely to conduct light workout tomorrow and Logarusic is aware of the huge challenge that awaits him.
Here is the 18 man squad to travel to Malawi on Friday :
Goalkeepers: 1. Talbert Shumba (Triangle United)
2. Nelson Chadya (Ngezi Platinum)
Defenders: 3. Ian Nekati (Chicken Inn)
4. Qadr Amin (Ngezi Platinum Stars)
5. Alec Mudimu (Sherriff Tiraspol)
6. Takudzwa Chimwemwe (Buildcon)
7. Teenage Hadebe (Yeni Malatyaspor)
8. MacClive Phiri (Sekhukhune United)
9. Jimmy Dzingai (Nkana FC)
Midfielders: 10. Marvelous Nakamba (Aston Villa)
11. Tanaka Chinyahara (Red Arrows)
12. Ishamel Wadi (CAPS Utd)
13. Khama Billiat (Kaizer Chiefs)
14. Wellington Taderera (Ngezi Platinum Stars)
15. Phenias Bamusi (CAPS United)
16. King Nadolo (Dynamos)
Strikers: 17. Charlton Mashumba (Polokwane City)
18. Stanley Ngala (FC Platinum)
