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Khama Billiat

Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
ZIMBABWE and CAPS United right back Hardlife Zvirekwi has been ruled out of the Warriors’ final African Cup of Nations Group L qualifier against Guinea following his suspension by the Confederation of African Football.

Talented forward Khama Billiat is also set to miss the trip to West Africa for a different reason as coach Callisto Pasuwa looks to give a rest to the Mamelodi Sundowns man.

The Warriors, who have already sealed their place at the 2017 Nations Cup in Gabon, are looking to complete a fairy-tale unbeaten qualification campaign when they face the Sylie Nationale in Conakry on September 3.

That encounter is one of 25 final group matches lined up by CAF on that particular day.

Zvirekwi, who has become a regular since forcing himself back into reckoning at the expense of Eric Chipeta will, however, miss the tour of Conakry as he will be suspended for having picked two yellow cards in earlier Group L games.

The former CAPS United skipper was first booked in the Warriors’ home game against Swaziland on Easter Monday in which Callisto Pasuwa’s men powered to a 4-0 victory.

When Burkina Faso referee Juste Ephreme Zio flashed a yellow on Zvirekwi’s face in another Warriors home game against Malawi at the National Sports Stadium on June 5, it meant the defender would be out for the next encounter.

CAF have since confirmed the suspension in a letter sent to ZIFA advising them of the ban imposed on Zvirekwi.

“We would like to confirm the disciplinary measure(s) taken against player(s) of your team at the above mentioned match (Zimbabwe v Malawi). We remind you that the referee report is authoritative regarding incidents that occurred on the field of play.

“The referee of the above mentioned match has reported to the disciplinary board that the following player (Hardlife Zvirekwi) was cautioned. For having received two cautions in two different matches in the frame of this competition (matches Number 128 and Number 101) player no 12 Hardlife Zvirekwi is suspended for his next Match number 153 Guinea vs. Zimbabwe.

“Please take note that the sanction(s) has (have) been registered by CAF disciplinary board (art 111 CDC),’’ wrote CAF.

Although Pasuwa is reportedly finalising his squad to go into camp ahead of the tough away assignment to Conakry, the Warriors coach is set to make changes to his squad with injury also ruling out Dynamos centre back Elisha Muroiwa.

Pasuwa strongly hinted at the weekend that he was seriously considering giving Billiat a rest despite treating the showdown with Guinea seriously.

“I would say the issue of Khama is something that we are seriously looking at. The young man has not had any rest to talk about as you know that Mamelodi Sundowns were reinstated in the CAF Champions League and while the other teams were resting they were playing in the mini-league.

“Now it would be too much to ask of him to make the long trip to Guinea again just as their Premiership season is starting in South Africa.

“We all need Khama to be fresh and to give us his best whenever he plays hence that time I had to start him on the bench against Swaziland at home. We need to continuously monitor these players and manage how we use them in order to get the best out of them,’’ Pasuwa said.

Muroiwa has seen very little action at Dynamos since representing the country at the COSAFA Castle Cup in Windhoek, Namibia in June.

Despite the Warriors having qualified with a game to spare, their coach does not want any complacency to creep in and is looking at sending a full strength side.

The Warriors also need to keep improving on their FIFA World rankings as the ratings help CAF in determining the seeding for the teams that will take part at the Gabon tournament.

CAF will conduct the draw for the Nations Cup in the Gabonese capital — Libreville — on October 19.

Although Guinea might be third in Group L and virtually out of the reckoning for a place among the 16 teams that will line up in Gabon, the Sylie Nationale remain a tough opponents for the Warriors.

In the last meeting between the two sides at Rufaro on September 15 last year, the Warriors needed a Knowledge Musona strike from the penalty spot to secure a crucial 1-1 home draw against the Group L seeds.

The Warriors had opened their campaign with a vital 2-1 win over the Flames in Blantyre while Guinea slumped to a shock 2-1 reverse at the hands of Swaziland in neutral Morocco.

At that time Guinea were barred from playing in the familiar and intimidating atmosphere of Conakry that had been afflicted by the Ebola virus.