WARRIORS coach Michael Nees has effectively shut the door on inform goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze after revealing that he is not ready to create competition for Washington Arubi.

Nees declared that Arubi is his number one and he is not ready to drop him for anyone.

The German released a squad of 23 players ahead of the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Benin and Nigeria.

Zimbabwe will host Benin in South Africa next Thursday before they travel to Nigeria for a match against the Super Eagles on March 25.

The Warriors are desperate for points as they go into this round of fixtures sitting rock bottom of the table with two points, five less than the leading pack.

“Washington Arubi and Khama Billiat, I brought back into this team because I thought something was lacking,” Nees told journalists yesterday.

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“They exceeded our expectations. They helped us to qualify for the Afcon [Africa Cup of Nations].

“They were instrumental together with all the other players. So, Washington is my number one.”

Added the mentor: “I don’t want two alpha animals as number one A or number one B. On the goalkeeper, sometimes too much competition cannot be good.

“If something happens to Washington, we are ready to act. But Washington deserves the respect for helping us qualify.

“And if another goalkeeper would have been chosen instead of Washington at that time, and he would have helped us to qualify, he would also deserve respect. For me, loyalty is also something very important.”

Chipezeze, who played at the 2019 Afcon finals, has been in the form of his life, but that has not persuaded Nees, who also invited Marley Tavaziva and Martin Mapisa as the other goalkeepers

It looks like Nees is planning on maintaining the bulk of the players that were part of the squad that qualified for this year’s Afcon finals.

“And it’s not that people help you to qualify and then you keep them out or throw them under the bus. That’s not me,” he said.

“I don’t know how other coaches are doing it. But that’s not me. That’s just it. But I can tell you, we are able to react any moment in case something happens. Don’t worry.”

Nees picked six Scottland players that include Mthokozisi Msebe, Peter Muduhwa, Godknows Murwira, Tymon Machope and Walter Musona.

He defended that decision saying that the Scottland players are at this stage fitter than all the other teams after a good pre-season.

He heaped praise on Msebe.

“His (Msebe) performance is very good in central midfield. If I’m honest, there’s not so many players in a good age in central midfield in the country. Your league anyway is a very old league. And if there’s a player playing in a good age, he has a little bit of an advantage,” Nees said.

“Scottland was in Zambia for three weeks. Simba Bhora in South Africa. Both had maybe the financial muscles to do that. But you can see that they were very good in pre-season.”

Knowledge Musona bounced back into the national team, having spent years in international retirement.

Nees revealed that Musona could have returned last year, but he chose to stay away and let the squad finish off the Afcon campaign.

Tino Kadewere was omitted having spent five months on the sidelines with an injury.

But Nees said the France-based striker is in his plans for future matches.

Squad

Goalkeepers: W Arubi, M Tavaziva, M Mapisa

Defenders: J Zemura, D Lunga, G Takwara, M Garananga, I Mauchi, P Muduhwa, G Murwira, E Jalai

Midfielders: M Munetsi, A Rinomhota, M Nakamba, M Msebe, K Billiat, K Musona, T Chirewa

Forwards: P Dube, T Maswanhise, T Dzvukamanja, T Machope, W Musona
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