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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporters

WARRIORS coach, Norman Mapeza, is excited with the form of his players ahead of the trip to Ghana, for the first leg of the 2022 World Cup qualifier double-header, set for this weekend.

The team is expected to leave for Accra this afternoon, via Johannesburg. 

Mapeza and his technical team are set to link up with the South Africa-based players in Johannesburg, where they are scheduled to catch their fight to Accra, at around 5pm.

Zimbabwe play the Black Stars in West Coast on Saturday in a Group G match, before coming home for the return leg, three days later. Mapeza said he was excited with the form of some of his key players in recent weeks. Skipper Knowledge Musona scored a beauty in Al Tai’s 2-1 victory over Al-Taawoun in Saudi Arabia at the weekend. 

This was his second goal of the season.

Fellow striker Knox Mutizwa also had a memorable milestone for Golden Arrows in South Africa.

The 27-year-old forward is now Golden Arrows’ all-time leading goal-scorer, after netting in the team’s 3-1 win against Morumo Gallants, on Sunday.

He has now scored two goals in five appearances. Mutizwa surpassed Mabhuti Kenyeza, as the club’s all-time leading scorer in the PSL, with 40 goals. 

Warriors star, Jordan Zemura, has also been doing well in the English Championship. “I am more than happy with the current form of some of the players called up for the two matches against Ghana,’’ said Mapeza.

‘‘I have been watching some of their games and they have been doing well. 

“There are some other guys, who are not part of the squad, who have picked up form as well. If you look at Divine Lunga, I think he has picked up very well. 

“Our captain Knowledge Musona has scored some goals for his team, Jordan Zemura, Brendan Galloway and many others have been doing well and I just hope they will carry their form into the game against Ghana.’’

Lunga, who bagged the first DStv Premiership man-of-the-match award in Sundowns colours at the weekend, was overlooked, after he got injured, shortly before the team’s announcement.

Zimbabwe, who started off badly under Zdravko Logarusic, are bottom of Group G with one point. Mapeza is hoping to revive the Warriors campaign.  The Zimbabwe coach, however, voiced his concern over the scheduling of the matches. Musona was expected to be the first player to arrive in the West African country yesterday.

France-based Marshall Munetsi arrived in Zimbabwe at the weekend and will join the technical team, and the two local-based players — Rahman Kutsanzira and Kelvin Madzongwe — on the trip this afternoon.  

They are expected to link up with the South Africa-based contingent in Johannesburg. 

They will also be joined by midfielder Thabani Kamusoko who plies his trade in Zambia, and the Tanzania-based duo of Bruce Kangwa and Perfect Chikwende. 

The Zimbabwe delegation is expected to arrive in Accra around 9pm tonight.

The England-based players will also fly straight to Accra and US-based Teenage Hadebe will be the last player to check in tomorrow. The enlarged Warriors delegation will then leave Accra tomorrow for Cape Coast, where they are set to set up base, ahead of Saturday’s encounter.   

 “I don’t know the nature of the agreement between CAF and FIFA but I think we have adopted the European calendar, which doesn’t suit us here in Africa,” said Mapeza. 

“We spend most of our time travelling. 

‘‘If you look at our return match against Ghana, we will be arriving in Harare on Monday and we play the match on Tuesday. 

“So, there won’t be enough time to recover, and to work on certain aspects of your game, in training. 

‘‘That lost time is precious. 

“There is no way that we are going to compensate for that lost time, I think if we were still using the old system, where we played games one week apart, there was going to be time between matches to recover.

‘‘In Europe, it’s easy to travel between countries and play games after three days, unlike here in Africa. So, these qualifiers do not suit Africa because of the travelling but these are things beyond our control. 

‘‘We have to work around that and hope for the best.” The Warriors are not likely to get the UK-based players for the return match despite the partial quarantine exemptions granted to fully vaccinated players returning from countries on UK’s red list. 

Warriors’ manager Wellington Mpandare was doubtful about the availability of Marvelous Nakamba, Tendayi Darikwa, Zemura and Galloway for the second leg.

 Nakamba told The Herald at the weekend that he only had received one jab and was hoping to get a second jab before leaving for Ghana. He said Darikwa, too, was in the same scenario.

 Warriors Squad:

Goalkeepers: Martin Mapisa (Zamora CF), Talbert Shumba (Free State Stars), Washington Arubi (Marumo Gallants).

Defenders: Alec Mudimu (Torpedo Kutaisi), Brendan Galloway (Plymouth Argyle), Bruce Kangwa (Azam), Jordan Zemura (AFC Bournemouth), Onismor Bhasera (SuperSport United), Rahman Kutsanzira (FC Platinum), Teenage Hadebe (Houston Dynamo), Tendayi Darikwa (Wigan Athletic).

Midfielders: Blessing Sarupinda (Sekhukhune United), Farai Madhanaga (Marumo Gallants), Kelvin Madzongwe (FC Platinum), Khama Billiat (Kaizer Chiefs), Kudakwashe Mahachi (SuperSport United), Marshall Munetsi (Stade de Reims), Marvelous Nakamba (Aston Villa), Never Tigere (Azam), Perfect Chikwende (Simba SC), Thabani Kamusoko (Zesco United).

Strikers: Knowledge Musona (Al-Tai), Knox Mutizwa (Lamontville Golden Arrows), Terrence Dzvukamanja (Orlando Pirates).