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Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S Warriors dismissed rumours on social media which claimed their plane allegedly crash-landed in Ghana on their return from the African Nations Cup qualifying duties in   Liberia.

The Warriors suffered a setback to their qualification bid for a place at the 2019 Nations Cup finals in Cameroon when they lost 1-0 to Liberia in Monrovia.

Sunday’s Chidzambwa’s men then travelled in batches soon after their Group G battle in Monrovia.

Skipper Knowledge Musona and the Europe-based continent, which includes Tinotenda Kadewere, who plies his trade in France, Marvelous Nakamba (Belgium) and Wales-based defender Alec Mudimu were the first to fly out of Monrovia, hours after Sunday’s match before a packed Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex.

Coach Sunday Chidzambwa, his technical crew and the rest of the players then left Monrovia on Monday afternoon and arrived back home yesterday on a journey that took them via Ghana and South Africa.

ZIFA communications and competitions manager Xolisani Gwesela, who had travelled to Monrovia earlier as the advance party in charge of putting together all the necessary logistics for the team’s stay in Liberia, however, dismissed rumours that their flight back home had been briefly halted after allegedly crash-landing in Accra.

Gwesela said the plane on which the Warriors were aboard had encountered turbulence, but had safely negotiated its way.

“Warriors travelling from Liberia including myself are safe and sound. What we encountered was just an unexpected turbulence between Sierra Leone and Ghana (around Cote d’Ivoire).

“This is very normal with planes, especially when the weather is bad. Our plane never crash-landed in Accra as this is part of its route.

“We have since arrived home safely. The delegation was minus Kadewere, Musona, Mudimu and Nakamba, who had immediately flown to their European bases after Sunday’s match,’’ Gwesela said.

Gwesela said the South Africa-based contingent, the bulk in the squad had then dropped off in Johannesburg before Chidzambwa and the reminder of the side headed to Harare where they touched down at 1545hrs.