ENGLAND-BASED Tawanda Maswanhise and Macaulay Bonne were late yesterday expected to join the rest of the Warriors’ squad in Malawi for the four-team tournament as they face Zambia in the opening match at Bingu National Stadium.
The tournament features hosts Malawi, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Zambia.
Maswanhise plays for Leicester, while Bonne plays for lower-division side Cambridge United on loan from Gillingham.
Yesterday, Zifa confirmed that 11 players had already arrived in the morning with the rest expected to join camp later in the day.
Sheffield Wednesday’s Joey Phuti is already in Malawi.
Tawanda Chirewa of Wolverhampton excused himself to concentrate on his club business with the other players that were on coach Norman Mapeza’s wish list being Huddersfield Town’s Shane Maroodza, Brentford developmental side goalkeeper Marley Tavaziva and Brendan Galloway of Plymouth Argyle.
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Players who went through their paces in the morning under the alert eye of Mapeza included Turkey-based defender Teenage Hadebe, Gerald Takwara, who plays in Saudi Arabia, Phuthi and Daniel Msendami of Jwaneng Galaxy in Botswana.
The other players who have arrived in Malawi are goalkeeper Martin Mapisa and Donovan Bernard, Peter Muduhwa, Emmanuel Jalai, Kevin Moyo, Junior Makunike and Walter Musona.
Zifa said the Warriors had their first training session at Nankhakha Police Grounds in Lilongwe.
“The Warriors held their first training session this morning (yesterday) at the Nankhaka Police Grounds, Lilongwe. With the first batch of players having checked into camp yesterday afternoon, coach Norman Mapeza and his technical team opted for a light recovery session. The following players were present: Teenage Hadebe, Gerald Takwara, Joey Phuthi, Peter Muduhwa, Emmanuel Jalai, Kevin Moyo, Junior Makunike, Martin Mapisa, Donovan Bernard, Walter Musona and Daniel Msendami. The remaining members of the senior national team are expected in Lilongwe this afternoon at 1500hrs,” Zifa said.
The tournament being played in the Fifa first international break which started on March 18 and ends on March 26 comes at an opportune time as the Warriors prepare for their Group C 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier matches against Lesotho and South Africa in June.
The winners between the Warriors and Chipolopolo on Saturday will play the winners between Malawi and Kenya in the final next Tuesday, while the losers will face off in the third-place play-off.
Meanwhile, the Under-20 Young Warriors are also in Malawi and take on Malawi today.
However, Zifa says Zambia has pulled out of the Under-20 tournament.
“Zambia have withdrawn their national U20 side from the tournament. The U20 tournament thus becomes a round-robin affair with the three remaining nations, Malawi, Kenya and Zimbabwe, scheduled to play each other as per the fixtures attached. Zimbabwe takes on hosts Malawi on Wednesday 20 March in the opening game of the tournament. Kick-off 1500hrs,” Zifa said.
The Under-20 Young Warriors are under the tutelage of Simon Marange.