News / Local
Warriors get Musona boost
05 Mar 2021 at 01:23hrs | Views
WARRIORS captain, Knowledge Musona, continues to ease himself back into the groove, with a 70-minute shift, on Wednesday night. This is likely to brighten the mood of Zimbabwe coach, Zdravko Logarusic, ahead of the final two AFCON qualifiers, against Botswana and Zambia, this month.
Musona is the Warriors talisman and, without him, the team has usually struggled to impose themselves. There had been fears Musona could miss the decisive matches, because of injury, which could have severely handicaped the Warriors.
The skipper has aready made it clear he will travel, to play in the two matches, despite reservations, from European clubs, to release their players.
English clubs, in particular, have been at the forefront, in fighting to keep all their players, during this international window. Aston Villa have already barred Warriors midfielder, Marvelous Nakamba, from flying to Harare to play in the two matches.
The Birmingham club say it would be unfair, for Nakamba to be subjected to a 10-day airport hotel quarantine, on his return to the United Kingdom, missing some big matches.
FIFA have already said that, in countries where returning players have to be forced into quarantine, for at least five days, the clubs have a right not to release their stars.
On Wednesday, Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, added his voice to the debate, saying the players should not be released. "I understand the need of the different FAs but it is a time where you cannot make everybody happy," Klopp told BBC Sport.
"The players are paid by the clubs, so that means we have to be the first priority. You cannot make everyone happy in this period of our lives.
"We are not 100% sure, because it's not clear, as some countries might change the venues where they play. "You always have to wait until the last second pretty much because people need time to make decisions.
"I think everybody agrees that we cannot let the players go and come back and quarantine for 10 days in a hotel that's not how we can do it.
"All the things that happened, from a virus point of view in the last few months, was when someone had to leave the bubble.
"In England, it is all going in the right direction and looks positive and promising. Yes, we are concerned about these kind of things."
Manchester United boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, also said it "didn't make sense (for the players) to travel". "That's a chat we'll have with the players,'' he told SkySports on Wednesday night.
"It doesn't make sense to travel, when we are paying them, if they come back and are away for 10 days."
For Warriors skipper, Musona, though, his country means everything and has already announced he will be home for the big games. And, his return to action, too, after a period on the sidelines, as he battled injury, has been good.
On Wednesday, he played his second game, providing an assist, in the Belgian Cup quarter-final 1-0 victory, over Genk.
The influential skipper was playing his second game for KAS Eupen, inside four days, and was again on the winning side. Jonathan Heris scored the only goal of the night, a left-footed shot from the centre of the box, to the centre of the goal.
The assist came from Musona, who is now being deployed, more, as a member of the team's creative hub.
The 30-year-old played for 70 minutes, before he was replaced by Edo Kenyemba. In the 35th minute, he was cautioned by the referee. Musona played 78 minutes in Sunday's league game against Saint Truiden.
KAS Eupen won the match 2-0, taking their tally to 36 points from 29 games, in the Jupiler League to points. Musona will complete three matches, inside seven days, when they host Leuven in a league match tomorrow. He is on loan at the Pandas, from Belgian giants Anderlecht, and had been injured, since January 8.
Before the lay-off, Musona had scored four goals, and contributed two assists, on his second loan spell at the club, this season. His future is expected to be under discussion soon, with his loan spell set to expire in June, and he could find a permanent new home at Eupen.
Meanwhile, the Warriors technical team will get the full medical report, on Khama Billiat, this weekend.
Billiat suffered a fracture, in January, but his recovery appears to be faster than had been expected.
Musona is the Warriors talisman and, without him, the team has usually struggled to impose themselves. There had been fears Musona could miss the decisive matches, because of injury, which could have severely handicaped the Warriors.
The skipper has aready made it clear he will travel, to play in the two matches, despite reservations, from European clubs, to release their players.
English clubs, in particular, have been at the forefront, in fighting to keep all their players, during this international window. Aston Villa have already barred Warriors midfielder, Marvelous Nakamba, from flying to Harare to play in the two matches.
The Birmingham club say it would be unfair, for Nakamba to be subjected to a 10-day airport hotel quarantine, on his return to the United Kingdom, missing some big matches.
FIFA have already said that, in countries where returning players have to be forced into quarantine, for at least five days, the clubs have a right not to release their stars.
On Wednesday, Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, added his voice to the debate, saying the players should not be released. "I understand the need of the different FAs but it is a time where you cannot make everybody happy," Klopp told BBC Sport.
"The players are paid by the clubs, so that means we have to be the first priority. You cannot make everyone happy in this period of our lives.
"We are not 100% sure, because it's not clear, as some countries might change the venues where they play. "You always have to wait until the last second pretty much because people need time to make decisions.
"I think everybody agrees that we cannot let the players go and come back and quarantine for 10 days in a hotel that's not how we can do it.
"All the things that happened, from a virus point of view in the last few months, was when someone had to leave the bubble.
Manchester United boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, also said it "didn't make sense (for the players) to travel". "That's a chat we'll have with the players,'' he told SkySports on Wednesday night.
"It doesn't make sense to travel, when we are paying them, if they come back and are away for 10 days."
For Warriors skipper, Musona, though, his country means everything and has already announced he will be home for the big games. And, his return to action, too, after a period on the sidelines, as he battled injury, has been good.
On Wednesday, he played his second game, providing an assist, in the Belgian Cup quarter-final 1-0 victory, over Genk.
The influential skipper was playing his second game for KAS Eupen, inside four days, and was again on the winning side. Jonathan Heris scored the only goal of the night, a left-footed shot from the centre of the box, to the centre of the goal.
The assist came from Musona, who is now being deployed, more, as a member of the team's creative hub.
The 30-year-old played for 70 minutes, before he was replaced by Edo Kenyemba. In the 35th minute, he was cautioned by the referee. Musona played 78 minutes in Sunday's league game against Saint Truiden.
KAS Eupen won the match 2-0, taking their tally to 36 points from 29 games, in the Jupiler League to points. Musona will complete three matches, inside seven days, when they host Leuven in a league match tomorrow. He is on loan at the Pandas, from Belgian giants Anderlecht, and had been injured, since January 8.
Before the lay-off, Musona had scored four goals, and contributed two assists, on his second loan spell at the club, this season. His future is expected to be under discussion soon, with his loan spell set to expire in June, and he could find a permanent new home at Eupen.
Meanwhile, the Warriors technical team will get the full medical report, on Khama Billiat, this weekend.
Billiat suffered a fracture, in January, but his recovery appears to be faster than had been expected.
Source - the herald
