ZIFA insists the international friendly match against Morocco scheduled for Saturday will go ahead as planned despite the disqualification of Morocco from the 2015 African Cup of Nations finals by the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
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The Atlas Lions have been engaged in a series of international friendlies as part of their preparations for the 2015 Afcon finals as the hosts, but turned down the chance because of the threat of Ebola virus.
There have been genuine fears Morocco who have invited Zimbabwe for a friendly match could cancel it following their disqualification.
Zifa Communications manager, Xolisani Gwesela confirmed the travel arrangements to the association’s official website www.zifa.org.zw.
“The 29 member delegation led by Zifa board member, Tawengwa Hara, will leave the country around 7 pm on Thursday aboard a Fly Emirates plane en-route Dubai and then they will connect to Morocco where they are expected to arrive on Friday,” he said.
Gwesela said Zifa was keen to ensure that the Young Warriors are kept active.
“Zifa is keen to ensure that the Olympic team gets all the game time they require in order to become a force to be reckoned with on the continent. In December, they will play Iran on a date to be advised later,” Gwesela added.
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Iran will play South Africa in an international friendly match on December 19 in Johannesburg and plans are afoot to play the Warriors before they return to Asia.
Under-23 head coach Kalisto Pasuwa has named an 18-men squad including five foreign-based stars. The Young Warriors gaffer has called up Munyaradzi Mbanje who plays in the United Kingdom for Leeds United Academy, Northampton striker David Moyo, and Macauley Bonne of English League One side Colchester United. Marvellous Nakamba who plays for Netherlands top-flight league side Vitesse and Mamelodi Sundowns winger Kuda Mahachi complete the cast of foreign-based players called up by Pasuwa.
Pasuwa, however, has added new faces to the team that played in the last two international friendlies against Botswana and Swaziland with towering Bantu Rovers defender Teenage Hadebe, Shabanie Mine defender Douglas Sibanda and ZPC Kariba striker Tafadzwa Mavhunga making the cut.
Young Warriors team manager Patrick Mutesva said the home-based players called up should report for camp tonight.
“The local-based players called up should report for camp tomorrow (today) at Zifa offices. The team will leave on Thursday (tomorrow) evening via Dubai. We will have one training session in the morning before our departure, but the foreign-based players including Kuda Mahachi will fly directly from their bases,” said Mutesva.
Pasuwa did not travel to Botswana and Swaziland, preferring to stay with his club Dynamos as his assistants were attending Caf course with his assistant Saul Chaminuka, the ZPC boss, taking charge of the two matches with Hwange’s Nation Dube.
The Young Warriors face Swaziland in Mbabane in the first round of the All-Africa Games qualifiers in February before hosting them in March for the second leg next year.
The winner between the two will then meet Cameroon in the second round. Pasuwa’s men will also face Swaziland in the African Championship qualifying campaign in April and should they win the encounter they will face neighbours South Africa in the second round with Senegal awaiting in the third round should they triumph.
Meanwhile Morocco has named a strong squad dominated by European-based professionals including Bayern Munich centre back Mehdi Benatia for the international friendly match against Zimbabwe.
Apart from Benatia, Morocco also called up several players in Europe’s top leagues including Spain-based Issame El Adoua who stars for Levante and the duo of Nourdin Amrabat and Yassine Bounou who plays for FC Malaga and Real Zaragoza in the Spanish La Liga respectively among a host of other foreign-based stars.
Young Warriors squad Tatenda Mukuruva (Dynamos) Benard Donovan (How Mine) Blessing Moyo (Dynamos) Teenage Hadebe (Bantu Rovers) Douglas Sibanda (Shabanie) Keith Tafadzwa Mavhunga (ZPC Kariba) Tapiwa Ronald Pfumbidzai (Caps United) Takudzwa Chimwemwe (Harare City) Emmanuel Kudakwashe Mandiranga (How Mine) Gabriel Nyoni (Highlanders) Carlos Rodwell Rusere (DC Academy) Pritchard Mpelele (Hwange) Tinashe Charles Mukanhairi (Caps United) Kudakwashe Mahachi (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa) Macauley Miles Bonne (Ipswich) Munyaradzi Mbanje (Leeds United, England) David Philani Moyo (Northampton, England) Marvelous Nakamba (Vitesse FC, Netherlands)
