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Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter—
The Warriors could be forced to go to the Africa Nations Championship soccer finals in Rwanda next month without skipper Danny Phiri as the midfield hard man is struggling to shake off a nagging ankle injury. Phiri — a key member of the team — is racing against time to make the Warriors final squad, which should be named in less than two weeks and the strong possibility of his absence has left the senior team technical crew fretting.

The Warriors are set to feature at the CHAN tournament for a record fourth consecutive time. The tournament, which is exclusively for locally-based players, will take place from January 16 to February 7. However, there were fresh fears over the fitness of captain Phiri after the seasoned midfielder failed to take part in the afternoon training session at Gateway High School in Harare yesterday.

The Soccer Star of the Year was visibly in pain as he walked with a limp while his teammates were busy with their workouts on the second day of preparations. The Warriors resumed preparations on Saturday after their camp was dissolved by ZIFA last week in the wake of off-field problems that had led to the ill-advised firing of coach Callisto Pasuwa who was reinstated 48 hours later following a huge public outcry.

Pasuwa had given Phiri an exemption when the team initially started camp two weeks ago, saying that he needed time to recover following a hectic season, in which he led Chicken Inn to the Premiership championship glory.

But what was initially viewed as fatigue has evolved into a more worrisome injury that could effectively rule out Phiri from making a second successive appearance at the CHAN tournament.

Phiri and CAPS United’s Hardlife Zvirekwi are the survivors from the last CHAN tournament in Cape Town, while Joel Ngodzo could be making his second appearance at the competition if he makes the final squad, having featured at the 2011 tourney in Sudan.

Pasuwa nonetheless cast a huge shadow on Phiri’s availability for the CHAN tournament and said the technical crew would now need to get expert advice from the medical staff on whether the Chicken Inn captain should continue in camp or be excused.

Hwange goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya also sat out yesterday’s training session with a shoulder problem and is now set to be sent back home to receive further treatment. It is however, not just the injuries that are worrying Pasuwa, but the drop in fitness levels among his players. “We are assessing again the knocks to the boys. We had a break and using the tests that we conducted yesterday (Saturday), it shows that the fitness levels have dropped drastically.

“Some of the boys had to sit out and then from the 32 players that we called, Danny Phiri couldn’t finish off the training session because of his ankle injury. It was swollen and we will now have to hear from the doctors if he can continue or we send him back home.

“Then Takabva Mawaya has a recurrent shoulder problem and again we will have to send him home and he should probably go for an operation. All the other guys are still training and we will keep assessing them,” said Pasuwa.

The Warriors have two weeks to polish up their act before they head out to Rwanda for the CHAN tournament with emphasis being put now on conditioning them as well on the tactics. Pasuwa said they have fallen terribly behind time after starting their preparations late and encountering problems along the way.

The coach had all his players in camp by yesterday, including Dynamos vice captain Ocean Mushure who had been frozen out after failing to report for duty two weeks ago. Zimbabwe have been to every edition of the CHAN tournament since its inception in 2009.

But it was at the 2014 competition that the Warriors marked their best performance in South Africa when they reached the semi-finals under Ian Gorowa, with Pasuwa being the assistant then.

Because of the congested programme they now have in their preparations, the Warriors are likely to go to Rwanda without playing an international friendly to test their preparedness. The proposed friendly match against West African giants Cameroon had also failed to materialise, but they could find a sparring partner in Ethiopia on their way to Rwanda.

Zimbabwe are in Group D alongside neighbours Zambia, Uganda and Mali. Pasuwa insisted that adequate preparations are key, but the former Dynamos coach was worried with the lost time. “I think we have only two weeks to put everything in place which is one area that is very difficult for the coach and the players.

“But we will try as much as we can to squeeze the programme so that we make the best of the little time that we have. “We need to maintain fitness levels and then work on the tactics that we would want to use when we go to Rwanda. So in terms of time we are definitely behind, but we will do our best,” said Pasuwa.

Zimbabwe Squad:
Goalkeepers: Elvis Chipezeze (Chicken Inn), Tatenda Mukuruva (Dynamos), Takabva Mawaya (Hwange Colliery), Donovan Bernard (How Mine)

Defenders: Stephen Makatuka (CAPS United), Blessing Moyo (Dynamos), Bruce Kangwa (Highlanders), Ocean Mushure (Dynamos), Elisha Muroiwa (Dynamos), Teenage Hadebe (Highlanders), Lawrence Mhlanga (Chicken Inn), Hardlife Zvirekwi (CAPS United) Farai Madhananga (Flame Lily)

Midfielders: Nqobizitha Masuku (Highlanders), Tichaona Chipunza (Triangle), Ronald Chitiyo (Dynamos), Raphael Manuvire (ZPC Kariba), Tafadzwa Kutinyu (Chicken Inn), George Majika (Chicken Inn), Marshall Mudehwe (FC Platinum), William Manondo (Harare City), Danny Phiri (Chicken Inn), Gerald Takwara (FC Platinum), Joel Ngodzo (CAPS United) Hilary Bakacheza (Triangle United)

STRIKERS
Pritchard Mpelele (Hwange Colliery FC), Rodreck Mutuma (Dynamos FC), Edmore Chirambadare (Chicken Inn FC), Brian Muzondiwa (FC Platinum), Francisco Zekumbawira (Harare City FC), Knox Mutizwa ( Highlanders FC), Moses Demera (Flame Lily FC)

2016 CHAN GROUPS
Group A: Rwanda, Gabon, Morocco, Cote d’Ivoire

Group B: DR Congo, Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia

Group C: Tunisia, Nigeria, Niger, Guinea

Group D: Zimbabwe, Mali, Uganda, Zambia.