Sports / Soccer
Zifa impressed by the Egyptian Army Stadium
21 Mar 2013 at 06:46hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE Football Association (Zifa) technical director Nelson Matongerere has been impressed by the Egyptian Army Stadium - venue of the Warriors' 2014 World Cup football qualifier against Egypt in Alexandria on Tuesday.
Matongorere is one of the members of the Zifa advance party that also includes security officer Lovemore Marange.
He said yesterday they were happy with the facility and that it was calm.
"There is stability here. There is no chaos. We have inspected the stadium as well. It's an excellent facility. We are generally happy with the situation here," said Matongorere.
The Egyptian Army Stadium - which has a carrying capacity of 86 000 fans - is the same venue where Ghana won the Under-20 Fifa World Cup after beating Brazil in 2009.
Zifa had expressed concern over the security of the team because of violence in Egypt and had tried without success to have the venue changed. The soccer mother body had said they would play the match under protest after Fifa and Caf failed to heed their calls to have the venue changed.
The Warriors are due to leave for Egypt this afternoon following the arrival of the Dynamos defensive trio of Partson Jaure, Ocean Mushure and Augustine Mbara on Tuesday night.
The three players featured for Dynamos in their Champions League first round, first leg tie against Club Athletic Bizertin in Tunisia on Sunday which they lost 3-0.
However, the Warriors have faced some hitches in the build-up to the big match with some players who had been named in the final 18-man squad dropped owing to injuries
Highlanders midfielder Masimba Mambare, who was on standby, had to replace injured Moroka Swallows defender Gilbert Mapemba, who ironically had been called up as a replacement for Quincy Antipas. Antipas pulled out of the match due to an Achilles problem while Mathew Rusike was also replaced by Tafadzwa Rusike. Ovidy Karuru has come in to replace injured SuperSport United striker Simba Sithole.
The South Africa-based trio of goalkeeper Washington Arubi, Denver Mukamba and Rodreck Mutuma will be joined by locally-based players in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Germany-based Knowledge Musona, Archieford Gutu (Sweden) and Karuru (Belgium) are expected link up with other members of the team in Cairo.
SQUAD
Washington Arubi, Maxwell Nyamupangedengu, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Partson Jaure, Denver Mukamba, Ocean Mushure, Archieford Gutu, Masimba Mambare, Silas Songani, Abbas Amidu, Ronald Chitiyo, Khama Billiat, Knowledge Musona, Roderick Mutuma, Lincoln Zvasiya, Augustine Mbara, Tafadzwa Rusike.
Matongorere is one of the members of the Zifa advance party that also includes security officer Lovemore Marange.
He said yesterday they were happy with the facility and that it was calm.
"There is stability here. There is no chaos. We have inspected the stadium as well. It's an excellent facility. We are generally happy with the situation here," said Matongorere.
The Egyptian Army Stadium - which has a carrying capacity of 86 000 fans - is the same venue where Ghana won the Under-20 Fifa World Cup after beating Brazil in 2009.
Zifa had expressed concern over the security of the team because of violence in Egypt and had tried without success to have the venue changed. The soccer mother body had said they would play the match under protest after Fifa and Caf failed to heed their calls to have the venue changed.
The Warriors are due to leave for Egypt this afternoon following the arrival of the Dynamos defensive trio of Partson Jaure, Ocean Mushure and Augustine Mbara on Tuesday night.
The three players featured for Dynamos in their Champions League first round, first leg tie against Club Athletic Bizertin in Tunisia on Sunday which they lost 3-0.
However, the Warriors have faced some hitches in the build-up to the big match with some players who had been named in the final 18-man squad dropped owing to injuries
Highlanders midfielder Masimba Mambare, who was on standby, had to replace injured Moroka Swallows defender Gilbert Mapemba, who ironically had been called up as a replacement for Quincy Antipas. Antipas pulled out of the match due to an Achilles problem while Mathew Rusike was also replaced by Tafadzwa Rusike. Ovidy Karuru has come in to replace injured SuperSport United striker Simba Sithole.
The South Africa-based trio of goalkeeper Washington Arubi, Denver Mukamba and Rodreck Mutuma will be joined by locally-based players in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Germany-based Knowledge Musona, Archieford Gutu (Sweden) and Karuru (Belgium) are expected link up with other members of the team in Cairo.
SQUAD
Washington Arubi, Maxwell Nyamupangedengu, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Partson Jaure, Denver Mukamba, Ocean Mushure, Archieford Gutu, Masimba Mambare, Silas Songani, Abbas Amidu, Ronald Chitiyo, Khama Billiat, Knowledge Musona, Roderick Mutuma, Lincoln Zvasiya, Augustine Mbara, Tafadzwa Rusike.
Source - NewsDay
