Musona forced out

WARRIORS skipper Knowledge Musona has been ruled out of the team's two international friendlies against Lesotho and Namibia this week after picking an injury playing for his Belgian side KV Oostende at the weekend.

Oostende played Zulte-Waregem on Sunday with the striker starting the match and scoring before he was hauled off the pitch on 72nd minute with an ankle problem in his team's 4-2 win.

Warriors' team manager Wellington Mupandare yesterday said Musona, who scored a hat-trick for Zimbabwe in a 3-0 win over Liberia in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Group G opening qualifier in July, will not be part of the Warriors squad to face Lesotho in a friendly match in Maseru tomorrow.

The team is also scheduled to play Namibia on Saturday in Windhoek, as part of preparations for their next Afcon qualifier match against Congo in March next year.

He is the second player to be ruled out of the two matches after first choice goalkeeper George Chigova who also picked an injury playing for his South African side Polokwane City, in their 4-2 penalty shoot-out win over Orlando Pirates.

Speaking at the airport yesterday afternoon, where he was welcoming British based Warriors stars Tendai Darikwa, Admiral Muskwe and Macauley Bonne, Mupandare said that both Musona and Chigova would miss the match.

"It's unfortunate that Knowledge Musona got injured last night and also George Chigova was injured in their cup game against Orlando Pirates. I'm in touch with him (Musona) and he will go for an ax-ray tomorrow (today). We will only know the extent of the injury after the scan. We will miss them but we still have got a lot of able replacements. We hope the new players will gel in with those that are already playing for the nation."

Musona has been replaced in the squad by Caps United player Devon Chafa, who had been dropped.

The technical team was last night expected to name Chigova's replacement although the big goalkeeper has made himself available for the two clashes.

He was trying to convince the technical bench yesterday, which is led by temporary coach Wilson Mutekede, to be included in the squad.

Chigova came out worse from a collision with Pirates striker Thamsanqa Gabuza, sustaining a deep cut just above the knee, which required ten stitches.

The other players that have been dropped from the travelling squad are Ali Sadiki, Ishmael Wadi and Leeroy Mavunga.

The team is scheduled to leave this morning, and arrive in Maseru at around 4pm after a stop-over in Johannesburg where they are expected to link up with the bulk of the players, including Belgium based Marvellous Nakamba.

They are expected back in the country on Thursday before connecting to Namibia on Friday for the Saturday match.

Warriors squad:

Goalkeepers: Edmore Sibanda (Caps United).

Defenders: Dennis Dauda (Yadah Stars), Tendai Darikwa (Nottingham Forest), Qadr Amini (Ngezi Platinum), Jameson Mukombwe (Black Rhinos), Kelvin Moyo (FC Platinum), Peter Muduwa (Highlanders).

Midfielders: Kundai Benyu (Celtic), Kudakwashe Mahachi (Golden Arrows), Marvelous Nakamba (Club Brugge), Liberty Chakoroma (Ngezi Platinum), Devon Chafa (Caps United).

Strikers: Evans Rusike (Maritzburg United), Admiral Muskwe (Leicester), Macauley Bonne (Leyton Orient), Tinotenda Kadewere (Djurgardens), Tendai Ndoro (AL Faisaly FC).