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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
THE WARRIORS are today scheduled to leave Yaounde where they have been based for the past week for Bofoussam where they will play their opening two matches of the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon.

Eighteen of the 23-man squad have been in the Cameroonian capital for the past five days since their arrival for the biannual fiesta on December 30 last year. Coach Norman Mapeza has been working around the clock over the past days as he bids to become the first gaffer to lead the Warriors past the group stages at the continental jamboree.

On Sunday, he got an appreciation of what each of the 18 players is capable of doing when the side played Sudan in an international friendly which ended in a goalless draw.

They were billed to play Cameroon yesterday but that match was called off after the Cameroonians insisted the game be played on Monday which wasn’t feasible for the Warriors given they had played Sudan a day earlier.

That means Zimbabwe won’t have any other preparatory game before they open their campaign against last edition’s runners-up Senegal on Monday. Two Europe-based players Tino Kadewere and David Moyo joined the team on Monday night and captain Knowledge Musona was expected to join the rest of the squad last night. Striker Admiral Muskwe is scheduled to arrive in Yaounde this afternoon before the team takes the 237-kilometre journey to Bofoussam. The Warriors have been training twice a day since their arrival in Cameroon but only had one session yesterday and they could also have another one before they leave for their new base.

“We trained once today (yesterday) and time permitting, we would also train tomorrow (today) before we leave for Bofoussam where we would be based. We will then start our training on Thursday,” said manager Wellington Mpandare. “Everyone is here with the exception of the captain (Knowledge Musona) who we are expecting tonight (last night).

“Admiral Muskwe is also arriving tomorrow (today) and we leave just after his arrival.”

While there had been fears utility star Jordan Zemura could miss out of the tournament after a Covid-19 outbreak hit his English Championship side AFC Bournemouth, Mpandare said the utility player would be joining the team later this week. Zemura is in isolation after that Covid-19 outbreak in his camp which even led to the postponement of the team’s match against Peterborough on Monday.

Another round of tests would be carried out tomorrow and thereafter, the Zimbabwean could be on the plane to Cameroon.

“Jordan Zemura’s situation is a bit tricky. He is in isolation after the outbreak of Covid-19 in his team’s camp and he will be out of isolation I think by the 6th of this month (tomorrow) after which he would then fly to Cameroon.”

Mpandare said the Warriors management and technical team were confident Zemura would join in and have decided against calling in any of the players who are on stand-by to replace the in-form star.

“But we are not going to make any replacements because he will come, he is determined to come. So there are no replacements which are coming for him. Of course, we have players on standby, who include Temptation Chiunga, Panashe Mutimbanyoka and Bill Antonio, but Zemura is coming. “The guys are geared up and they were fitter than Sudan when we played in that friendly on Sunday. But for now we are not playing any friendlies, we will only be concentrating on training.” Zemura himself said he is dying to play at the Africa Cup of Nations.

“That’s always been my dream to play at the AFCON finals. I am determined and geared to play my part, try to help my country and get to experience how it feels to be part of Africa’s biggest football showcase,” said Zemura.

After their date against Senegal on Monday, the Warriors face Malawi on January 14 before they clash against Guinea four days later.

Zimbabwe’s AFCON Profile

Africa Cup of Nations Cup record

Previous appearances in finals: (4) 2004, 2006, 2017, 2019.

Best performance: Group phase

Drawn in Group B with Guinea, Malawi and Senegal.

Coach: Norman Mapeza

Mapeza was appointed caretaker coach midway through Zimbabwe’s abortive World Cup qualifying campaign in September and then asked to stay on for the Cup of Nations finals.

The former international defender, who was one of his country’s best footballing exports including a spell at Galatasaray in Turkey, has already had three previous stints in charge of the national team. He has won the league title in Zimbabwe twice and will return to the helm of Platinum FC when the tournament in Cameroon is completed.

Key player: Tino Kadewere. Age: 25. Forward.

Last season, 10 goals for Olympique Lyonnais in the French Ligue 1 confirmed the goalscoring reputation the Harare-born attacker had developed playing at Le Havre in Ligue 2.

Warriors AFCON Squad

Goalkeepers: Martin Mapisa (FC Zamora), Petros Mhari (FC Platinum), Talbert Shumba (Free State Stars)

Defenders: Onismor Bhasera (SuperSport United), Takudzwa Chimwemwe (Nkana), Teenage Hadebe (Houston Dynamo), Bruce Kangwa (Azam), Alec Mudimu (Torpedo Kutaisi), Peter Muduwa (Highlanders), Godknows Muriwa (Dynamos), Gerald Takwara (Venda Football Academy), Jordan Zemura (Bournemouth)

Midfielders: Kundai Benyu (Vestri Isafjordur), Thabani Kamusoko (Zesco United), Kelvin Madzongwe (FC Platinum), Kudakwashe Mahachi (SuperSport United), Never Tigere (Azam), Ishmael Wadi (JDR Stars)

Forwards: Prince Dube (Azam), Tino Kadewere (Olympique Lyonnais), David Moyo (Hamilton Academical), Admiral Muskwe (Luton Town), Knowledge Musona (Al Tai).