Warriors foreign based players arrive

Zimbabwe national soccer team players are slowly trickling into camp as the nation eagerly awaits for Sunday’s do or die Afcon encounter against Congo Brazzaville slated for the national sports stadium.

The first batch of foreign based players arrived at 1435hrs ahead of Sunday’s crucial encounter. George Chigova, Teenage Hadebe, Khama Billiat and a Evans Rusike were the first group to touchdown at the Harare international airport while others are expected at 17:00hrs.

Alec Mudimu, Divine Lunga, Ronald Pfumbidzai, Butholezwe Ncube, Danny Phiri, Ovidy Karuru, Talent Chawapihwa, Kelvin Lunga, Tino Kadewere, Knox Mutizwa and Admiral Muskwe are expected at 1700hrs with preparations proper set to begin this Tuesday.

The trio of captain Knowledge Musona, Kuda Mahachi and Nyasha Munetsi are expected on Tuesday with Tendai Darikwa the last one to arrive on Wednesday.

Sunday Chidzambwa is eyeing a second Afcon qualification as a coach after becoming the first Zimbabwean gaffer to lead the Warriors to Afcon qualification in 2004.

Zimbabwe then qualified on two other occassions and Chidzambwa is hoping to lead Zimbabwe to another dance at Africa’s biggest football showpiece. Zimbabwe currently top group G and a draw against Congo Brazzaville will be enough to ensure the Warriors qualify for the Afcon finals that will be held in Egypt in June.

Ticket sales began some weeks ago and the Zimbabwe Football Association is hoping fans will purchase all the tickets on offer as there will be no matchday sales. At a press conference held to announce the Warriors squad, Zifa board member Chamu Chiwanza reiterated that there would be no sale of tickets on matchday as all purchases should be done prior to the 24 March encounter.

Zifa say the move is meant to curb chaos at the stadium as was witnessed in Zimbabwe’s last home encounter against the Democratic Republic of Congo when thousands of fans entered the stadium for free following a stampede at the gate.