THE Warriors’ preparations for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations first round second leg football tie against Tanzania at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday could be plunged into further chaos with two more stars picking injuries over the weekend ahead of the decisive match.
HENRY MHARA SPORTS REPORTER
Zimbabwe lost the reverse leg 1-0 in Dar es Salaam last week and will need to win the match by a two goal margin to advance to the next stage of the qualifiers.
Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela said Warriors players had started trooping into camp on Sunday night after playing for their respective clubs.
He said all the players, including the foreign based, were expected in the capital last night with training expected to start this morning.
However, the bad news is that two influential players — Kuda Mahachi and Peter “Rio” Moyo — could miss the match due to injuries.
Warriors poster boy Mahachi, on loan to Highlanders from South African side Mamelodi Sundowns, was in Namibia over the weekend with his parent club for a cup match against African Stars, but did not feature in the Brazilians’ 1-0 win on Sunday due to an injury.
The club’s official website yesterday reported that Mahachi and Mzikayise Mashaba could not feature in the match due to injuries they picked at training on Saturday.
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But the Sundowns’ star was expected in Harare yesterday to be assessed by team doctor Nick Munyonga and could still make the cut.
Moyo only lasted 26 minutes for Highlanders in their league win at Buffaloes on Sunday after picking a knock that his coach Kelvin Kaindu said was serious as the midfielder could hardly stand on his own.
Gwesela said the players would be assessed by the Warriors medical team when they arrive in camp.
If Mahachi and Rio fail to recover, it would be a massive blow to coach Ian Gorowa who already have a long list of players set to miss the encounter due to injuries.
Matthew Rusike of Kaizer Chiefs, Costa Nhamoinesu of Sparta Praha and captain Carlington Nyadombo of AmaZulu have all been ruled out of the match due to injuries.
Gorowa, who said he missed a direct player to run at the Tanzanian defence in the first leg and had hoped to use the speedy Rusike for that duty, has called up Bidvest Wits’ Denver Mukamba instead.
And Gorowa can still count on Belgium-based star Ovidy Karuru and the recalled Edward Sadomba of Libya’s Al Ahly Benghazi to do that job for him.
The two, who were unavailable for the first leg due to club commitments, have been in good form for their respective clubs.
Sadomba netted a goal in his team’s 3-2 win over Esperance in the Caf Champions’ League match on Saturday.
It was his fifth goal of the season in the Champions League, to top the scoring charts in Africa’s premier club competition.
But Sadomba, who is expected to touch down in Harare today, has previously failed to transform his club form into the Warriors.
Gorowa is expected to hold a meeting with midfielder Willard Katsande after the Sunday match, a meeting that would decide on the player’s future with the Warriors after the Kaizer Chiefs hardman’s last minute withdrawal from joining camp for the first leg match, citing a stomach bug.
A win against Tanzania would see the Warriors proceeding to the next stage where they will likely meet neighbours Mozambique, who are taking a 5-0 lead to South Sudan at the weekend.
If they progress past that stage, the Warriors will qualify for the group stages where the top two teams from each of the seven groups qualify for the finals to be held in Morocco next year.
Warriors squad: Goalkeepers: W Arubi, G Chigova, M Diya Defenders: H Zvirekwi, E Chipeta, P Jaure, M Ncube, R Pfumbidzai, T Chawapiwa Midfielders: D Phiri, W Kapinda, P Manhanga, K Mahachi, S Alimenda, P Moyo, M Mudewe, O Karuru, D Mukamba Strikers: T Ndoro, C Malajila, K Musharu, E Sadomba
