Warriors Team Set For Gabon Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group L qualifier Against Malawi

The Czech Republic-based Costa Nhamoinesu and Marvelous  Nakamba of Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands, were among the first European based warriors stars to arrive in the country to begin camp ahead of the team’s 2017 Gabon Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group L qualifier against Malawi. Kudakwashe Mahachi of Golden Arrows of South Africa, was the other foreign-based player who had joined camp last night.

A member of the technical team allegedly said Six players are in, namely Nhamoinesu, Nakamba, Mahachi, Elisha Muroiwa, Blessing Moyo and Hardlife Zvirekwi. These have already arrived at the lodge where they would be camped, but they expect the local based players to be all in tonight. The rest of the foreign-based players should start to arrive tomorrow (today) .

Belgium-based striker Knowledge Musona and Dzikamai Gwaze of Polish side Gornik Zabrze, who got his national team call-up, are expected in the country today in time for the Uganda match

It is said that Khama Billiat of Mamelodi Sundowns, Nyasha Mushekwi and Matthew Rusike could miss tomorrow’s international friendly match due to club commitments. Mushekwi, who plays for Chinese Division One side Dalian Yifang, was in action for his side last night in a promotion play-off match away to Xinjiang Tianshan and was expected to leave soon after the match and arrive in country tonight.

Khama Billiat, has been excused by the technical team to attend the South African Player of the Season in Johannesburg tonight and is expected in the country tomorrow.

He is nominated for the Footballer of the Season, the Player’s Player of the Season and the Midfielder of the Season awards where he will be fighting for the three awards against teammates Keagan Dolly and Hlompho Kekana.

Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane, himself in the running for the Coach of the Year after guiding the club to the premiership title, has backed the 25-year-old Billiat to win the three awards.

Rusike, like Mushekwi was also committed last night in the Swedish’s Allsvenskan where his side Helsingborg IF was playing IFK Goteborg and is expected to travel today.

Victory against Malawi could be enough for Zimbabwe who lead Group L with eight points, to qualify for the Acon for the first time since 2006.

Billiat said that qualifying is very important for Zimbabwean football. He always wanted to be in this situation and contributing to the country to qualify. And here they are, one game away and this will be the greatest moment of his life.

”We work hard. [Tendai] Ndoro is a hard worker, [Knowledge] Musona is a hard worker, Nyasha Mushekwi is a hard worker . . . I believe I’m a hard worker. Being in this group motivates me, We are all positive about [qualifying] and we are all sharing the same goal. I don’t think it should be a problem,” he added.