Head coach Ramón Catalá has named the Zimbabwe squad for the double-header against Equatorial Guinea, without the injured Munashe Garananga or the excluded Divine Lunga. Veterans Knowledge Musona and Tino Kadewere are recalled.
Zimbabwe know their squad for the double-header against Equatorial Guinea. The head coach has released his list, as reported by The Herald (heraldonline.co.zw). The first leg is played next Thursday in Cameroon, with the return leg in Zimbabwe four days later.
The defence is the main question mark. Munashe Garananga is missing through injury, while Divine Lunga has been left out for reasons only Catalá knows, with the source not disclosing them.
A reshaped back line built around Zemura
To assemble his defence, Catalá is relying on defender Jordan Zemura. Around him are Shane Maroodza, Kelvin Moyo, Peter Muduhwa, Emmanuel Jalai, Sean Fusire, Corbin Mthunzi and Tinotenda Muringai, according to the list published by The Herald.
Without Garananga or Lunga, the head coach must build his back line from these players, in a defence The Herald describes as inexperienced.
That defence will be tested straight away in the first leg in Cameroon, before the return in Zimbabwe four days later.
Musona and Kadewere, veterans recalled
In attack, the head coach has recalled veterans Knowledge Musona, a forward, and Tino Kadewere. Tawanda Maswanhise, Bill Antonio, Thando Ngwenya and Tawanda Chirewa complete the attacking options, younger according to The Herald.
Midfield rests on Marshall Munetsi, Marvelous Nakamba and Andy Rinomhota.
The attacking department thus combines two veterans and younger options, while the back line has to do without Garananga and Lunga.
A fiercely contested group of four
This double-header comes in a group featuring DR Congo, Zimbabwe, Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone, all competing for qualification, heraldonline.co.zw recalls.
The Herald gives no reason for the absence of Gerald Takwara, Teenage Hadebe and Brendan Galloway, who are also missing from the squad.