Warriors captain Marvelous Nakamba calls on the Zimbabwean public to keep the faith ahead of the double-header with Equatorial Guinea, after coach Ramon Catala named 24 players, with several absences and call-ups sparking debate.
Marvelous Nakamba, a 32-year-old midfielder with Panetolikos, is in the Warriors squad cut to 24 players by Ramon Catala on Tuesday for the double-header against Equatorial Guinea, The Herald reports. The captain spoke to the Zimbabwean daily to urge the public to keep the faith.
The first match will be played in Cameroon on 12 November, before the return leg at National Sports four days later. The homecoming will therefore have to wait for the second act of this double-header.
A call to the public
Speaking to The Herald, Nakamba first welcomed the return of football at home, thanking the government and the country’s leaders: “It’s good football is back home and we want to thank Government and the country’s leadership for making sure this happened.” His message then turned to the stands: “The last time out we played DR Congo, the National Sports was packed and it felt nice to play in front of our own fans at home. I am sure fans will keep believing in their Warriors.”
He recalled the DR Congo precedent, when the ground was full, and asked the public to keep believing in their team. The report does not say why the first leg is being played in Cameroon: the captain’s call therefore centres first on the return to National Sports.
Absences that weigh heavy
Ramon Catala’s list is bound to fuel discussion. Striker Knowledge Musona and Walter Musona were left out of the final squad, as was Hardrock striker Prince Dube, despite his fine form with the Zimbabwean league leaders. The latter comes off a standout display: a brace and a converted penalty in his club’s qualification for the Chibuku Super Cup final against Highlanders, according to The Herald. Mongameli Tshuma, the Bosso star, was also left out.
The report mentions no injuries for these players.
Fusire, Fabisch, Msendami: the call-ups raising questions
Other names are causing debate in the Herald’s pages. The call-ups of Jonah Fabisch (Golden Arrows), Sean Fusire (Sheffield Wednesday) and Daniel Msendami (Marumo Gallants) raise questions because of their limited playing time at club level: Fusire played only two minutes in Sheffield Wednesday’s last six matches, according to the daily. Highlanders goalkeeper Aaron Ngwenya, called up as fourth goalkeeper, also came as a surprise.