Sports Reporter
HWANGE defender, Aaron Katebe, could be facing his teammates Francisco Zekumbawire and Rodwell Chinyengetere when Zimbabwe play Zambia in an international friendly in Ndola tomorrow.
The Warriors left the capital yesterday and are expected to make a stopover in Lusaka today before proceeding to Ndola for their international friendly against Chipolopolo.
Interestingly, Katebe has received a call to the Chipolopolo team while his teammates Zekumbawire and Chinyengetere are part of the Warriors.
Yesterday the Warriors delayed their departure from Harare for Zambia as they waited for all the players to arrive after fulfilling league assignments with their clubs.
Team manager Nyika Chifamba said no player had reported an injury.
“We are going with 21 players for the game in Zambia.
“So far no one has reported an injury and we are satisfied with that.
“The plan is to sleep over in Chirundu and we cross the border in the morning.
“We will take a rest in Lusaka and then proceed to Ndola where we will sleep and then play the match,” said Chifamba.
Chifamba said the technical team had dropped goalkeeper Francis Tizayi and defender Godfrey Moyo.
“We have left behind Tizayi and Godfrey Moyo.
“Arnold Chaka has been in the plans but he could not make it from Botswana, so he is also out.
“This means we are taking 21 players for the game and the squad remains competitive enough,” said Chifamba.
Meanwhile, the Zambian national team coach, Herve Renard, and his team went into camp on Sunday in Ndola to prepare for the match.
According to reports from Ndola, the Frenchman has also picked a largely developmental side while resting the players who lifted the Nations Cup title early this year.
Renard said he is searching for future stars for Chipolopolo and has identified players capable of breaking into the main team soon.
The Frenchman said he wanted to see how the local players could handle pressure on the international scene.
Katebe and Lawrence Phiri, who plays in Angola, are the only foreign-based players in the Zambian squad.
Renard has included in his squad a 17-year old schoolboy Godfrey Ngwenya from Kalonga High School in Kabwe after the player impressed at the Airtel Rising Star tournament.
Zambia are using the match to prepare for the CHAN qualifiers starting in November.
Meanwhile, the Mighty Warriors left yesterday for Zambia where they will take on She-polopolo in an international friendly.
The match will serve as the curtain-raiser for the Chipolopolo and Warriors match at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola tomorrow evening.
Zimbabwe, who last played a competitive match in June in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers where they were booted out by Nigeria’s Super Falcons 6-0 on aggregate, are reciprocating the visit by the Zambians four months ago.
The two teams played a preparatory match in Hwange.
Zambia also failed to qualify for the biennial tournament, which would be held in Equatorial Guinea from October 28 to November 11, when they were hammered 2-6 by South Africa in the last qualifying round.
And now both teams are using the match to keep their teams in shape.
Mighty Warriors’ coach, Rose Mugadza, has travelled with a largely unchanged squad to the team that travelled to Nigeria.
Mufakose Queens and former Mighty Warriors defender, Melody Musasa, has been included into the 18-member squad, which left last night.
There was also a place for Flame Lily midfielder, Sukulokuhle Nyoni, who has earned her first national team call-up.
Young Mighty Warriors midfielder, Rutendo Madongorere, has also been roped into the senior team.
Mighty Warriors team manager, Charity Munemo, said the match was good for her team.
“It is good that the players play regularly as a team and we should not wait to assemble a squad when qualifiers come up,” said Munemo.
“The friendly matches will also give us an opportunity to assess a number of players that the coaches have been identifying in the national league.
“Every weekend the head coach and her assistant coaches are travelling around to all league matches identifying good players and this is the platform to try some of these players.
“We need to have a large pool of players to select from so that when the next qualifiers come, we would have built a strong team,” said Munemo.
The women’s national league has become competitive following its partnership with Marange Resources who are now sponsoring the 10-member league.
The league is currently on a break to make way for the National Youth Games.
Team
Goalkeepers: Onai Chingawo, Chido Dzingirai.
Defenders: Ruvimbo Mutyavaviri, Nobuhle Majika, Melody Musasa, Danai Bhobho, Sheila Makoto, Tallet Mazetesa.
Midfielders: Felistas Muzongondi, Marjoury Nyaumwe, Emma Msipa, Sukulokuhle Nyoni, Rutendo Madongorere, Nokuthula Ndlovu.
Strikers: Erina Jeke, Kuda Basopo, Rutendo Makore, Rudo Neshamba,

Zambia squad
Goalkeepers: Joshua Titima, Racha Kola, Kalililo Kakonje
Defenders: Nyambe Mulenga, Jimmy Chisenga, Steven Kabamba, Charles Siyingwa, Gift Sakuwaha, Michael Bwalya, Thomas Nyirenda, Aaron Katebe, Phiri
Midfielders: Joseph Sitali, Bruce Musakanya, Henry Banda, John Ching’andu, Mwepya Kasongo,Venacious Mapande, Lubambo Musonda, Godfrey Ngwenya, Misheck Chaila
Strikers: Lewis Macha, Moses Phiri, Reynold Kapamba, Jackson Mwanza,Winston Kalengo, Evans Kangwa and Graven Chitalu.