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Eddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter

GERMAN club, Hamburger SV, where Zimbabwe midfielder Jonah Fabisch is based, have raised the alarm over the outbreak of the third wave of Covid-19 in South Africa.

The teenage midfielder has been drafted into the Warriors’ squad for the COSAFA Cup, set for South Africa, next month.

Warriors team manager, Wellington Mpandare, is confident, though, the Hamburger SV II midfielder will be available, for the regional tournament.

“Of course, there have been challenges before but Jonah has reaffirmed his commitment to play for the national team,’’ said Mpandare.

‘‘He wants to play at the COSAFA Cup and we are negotiating with his club.

“Remember, this fixture is outside the FIFA calendar. The club is worried about the third wave of Covid-19, in South Africa, and there are negotiations for Jonah to fly direct to Port Elizabeth.’’

The midfielder is the son of the late Reinhard Fabisch, the coach of the Dream Team, and qualifies to play for Zimbabwe through his mother, Chawada Kachidza-Fabisch.

The Warriors are expected to get their preparations underway in Harare today.

The technical team had 19 players in camp yesterday, from the 25-member squad, called for this mission, by coach Zdravko Logarusic. The six, who are yet to arrive, include Fabisch, Knox Mutizwa, Evans Rusike, Jimmy Dzingai, Kelvin Moyo and US-based Nyasha Dube.

Mpandare said Mutizwa is expected today while Moyo, Dzingai and Dube are scheduled to fly into the country tomorrow.

Rusike, who recently parted ways with South Africa side, SuperSport, has requested more time, to sort out personal issues.

“I think the turnout by the players has been very positive. Almost all the players, except for just six, are now in camp,’’ said Mpandare.

‘‘We are expecting four more, to have arrived, by Wednesday. Dzingai and Moyo were involved, in the final games, in the Zambian league on Sunday. Dube, of course, needed more time travelling all the way from the States under the current Covid-19 restrictions.

“Remember, we lost so much time for preparations because of the Covid-19 pandemic but these guys responded promptly and are keen to begin training.”

Spain-based goalkeeper, Martin Mapisa, was among the early birds in the Warriors camp. The 23-year-old ‘keeper has been in the country, enjoying the off-season break, following a decent season with Spanish third tier outfit, Zamora CF.

Loga has indicated he has reserved the COSAFA tournament to some of the fringe players he would want to have a look at, ahead of the World Cup qualifiers, and the AFCON finals.

The Warriors will open their campaign in Group C, against Mozambique, on July 8.

They will face Namibia three days later before wrapping it up with a game against guest nation, Senegal, on July 14. The organisers of the tournament yesterday said the event will go ahead, as scheduled, despite the new Covid-19 lockdown measures in the host country. South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, announced on Sunday the country would move to adjusted Level 4 restrictions, to combat a rise in Covid-19 infections.

The updated Government Gazette gave the leeway for professional sports events, around the country, to continue, as long as the appropriate precautions were put in place.

COSAFA general secretary, Sue Destombes, said they had, in conjunction with SAFA, created a bio-secure environment for the teams, officials and organisers of the tournament, in Nelson Mandela Bay.

“Whilst there is a need to implement stricter measures, to deal with the current statistics, the President of South Africa ,in his address to the Nation on 27 June 2021, was clear in that daily life and business, in particular, should continue,” said Destombes.

“The restrictions, on inter-provincial travel, does not apply to transit through OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, and travel for the purposes of business is permitted.

“COSAFA has already put in place strict Covid-19 protocols, to ensure the safety of all role players, including operating within a bio-bubble and playing matches behind closed doors.”