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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
DESPITE being fully vaccinated, Britain-based Warriors players will only be available for the away 2022 Fifa World Cup Qualifier against Ghana at Cape Coast, as they will travel on a private plane when returning to their bases.

Following intervention by Fifa, the United Kingdom (UK) government allowed fully vaccinated players to travel to red listed Covid-19 countries on international duty.

On return from international duty, the players will no longer quarantine for 10 days in a hotel, but instead use a club facility, which they can only leave once a day to train or play.

The agreement to release players to travel to hotspot areas was reached after assurances were given that players would be in Covid-19 secure “bubbles” with their national teams and on return to their clubs.

Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, defenders Brendan Galloway from Plymouth Aygle, AFC Bournemouth’s Jordan and Tendayi Darikwa of Wigan are flying to Ghana to link up with the rest of the players in Accra today.

Wellington Mpandare, the Warriors’ general manager, confirmed that the UK brigade will only play in Saturday’s game at Cape Coast, before returning to their bases.

“We find ourselves in a dilemma in the sense that, of course, a reprieve has been given that international footballers be allowed to travel to Covid-19 hotspots without going for quarantine on return. Unfortunately, there’s a condition that the players have to travel by private jet when they return from such assignments. This means that our Warriors will be available for the away game and won’t be there for the game in Harare,” said Mpandare.

Zimbabwe are bottom of Group G with just a single point from the goalless draw against South Africa and 0-1 loss to Ethiopia, and they take on Ghana in back-to-back matches.

The return leg will be at the National Sports Stadium in Harare on October 12.

South Africa top the table with four points, while Ghana and Ethiopia are tied on three points.

The UK-based Warriors missed the two opening games against Bafana Bafana in Harare and the away trip to Ethiopia, as the two countries are also listed by the UK government as Covid-19 hotspots.

It is the game in Cape Coast that the Warriors under interim coach Norman Mapeza have to win to revive their 2022 World Cup hopes.

To avoid hasty travelling, the technical team has set up a training base in Accra, with overseas-based players flying directly to the Ghanaian capital.

Warriors’ skipper Knowledge Musona was the first to report at the training base yesterday.

The local contingent of Mapeza and his technical team, defender Rahman Kutsanzira and midfielder Kelvin Madzongwe, and France-based midfielder Marshal Munetsi, who arrived in the country on Sunday, will leave for Ghana today.

They will be joined by South Africa-based players as well as Thabani Kamusoko, who plies his trade in Zambia, as well as the Tanzania pair of Bruce Kangwa and Perfect Chikwende in Johannesburg en route to Accra. The last player to report for camp is Teenage Hadebe, who is scheduled to arrive in Ghana tomorrow.

Mpandare said they have received communication from Orlando Pirates that striker Terrence Dzuamanja has a knock and he will be assessed by the Warriors’ medical team.

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

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

Midfielders: Blessing Sarupinda (Sekhukhune), Farai Madhanaga (Marumo Gallants), Kelvin Madzongwe (FC Platinum), Khama Billiat (Kaizer Chiefs), Kuda Mahachi (SuperSport), Marshall Munetsi (Stade de Reims), Never Tigere (Azam) Marvellous Nakamba, (Aston Villa), Perfect Chikwende (Simba FC), Thabani Kamusoko (Zesco)
Strikers: Knowledge Musona (Al Tai), Knox Mutizwa (Golden Arrows), Terrence Dzvukamanja (Orlando Pirates)