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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE in-form Tanzanian Premier League side Azam’s trio of defender Bruce Kangwa, midfielder Never Tigere and goal poacher Prince “Mgadhafi” Dube have been named in the Warriors’ 30-man provisional Africa Cup of Nations squad.

The squad will be trimmed to 23 on December 31 and players are expected to start trooping into camp tomorrow to start preparations for the continental football showpiece scheduled for Cameroon early next month.

The Warriors’ technical staff led by head coach Norman Mapeza omitted Mamelodi Sundowns defender Devine Lunga as well as Wigan Athletic skipper Tendai Darikwa.

While Darikwa asked to be excused to attend to serious family issues, Lunga was left out for not getting adequate game time at his club, while the other three left-backs called up, Kangwa, Onisimo Bhasera and Jordan Zemura are regular starters at their clubs.

“Darikwa requested that he be excused for personal reasons, as he has a lot going on right now. The guy stays over 400km away from Wigan and he travels literally everyday just to be with his family so for him to be away from his family for such a long time would be something else,” said national teams’ general manager Wellington Mpandare.

He dismissed reports that the defender had a fallout with Mapeza.
“We don’t know where people are getting that. It’s just silly to suggest the coach has issues with Darikwa.”

He said Lunga was left out for technical reasons and nothing else.

“As the coach has been saying, players will be selected on merit and game time, and if you check the position that Devine plays, he is competing against Bhasera, Zemura as well as Kangwa. All these guys are enjoying game time and are playing well at their clubs.

“Lunga is still young and more opportunities are coming. People must understand that national team call-ups are on the basis that one is enjoying game time. If there was no other player in that position, maybe he would have been considered, but now we have four players for the left-back position and from those, three are regular players,” said Mpandare.

Lunga charmed the hearts of Zimbabweans in the 2019 Afcon finals in Egypt when he completely shut out Liverpool star Mohamed Salah in the opening match of the tournament against the hosts at the Cairo International Stadium.

Then he had been a regular at Golden Arrows, but ever since moving to The Brazilians, he has either been dogged by injuries or largely been a bench warmer.

The Warriors are in Group B alongside Senegal, Guinea and Malawi.

They will be hoping to qualify for the knockout stage for the first time since making their maiden Afcon finals appearance in 2004.

The 33rd edition of the Afcon finals will be Zimbabwe’s fifth appearance in the tournament.

Warriors’ provisional Afcon squad
Goalkeepers: Petros Mhari (FC Platinum), Martin Mapisa (FC Zamura), Talbert Shumba (Free State Stars), Timon Mvula (Dynamos).

Defenders: Peter Muduhwa (Highlanders), Alec Mudimu (Torpedo Kutaisi), Teenage Hadebe (Houston Dynamo), Takudzwa Chimwemwe (Nkana), Godknows Murwira, Frank Mukarati (Dynamos), Tapiwa Sibanda (Cranborne), Gerald Takwara (Venda Football Academy), Jordan Zemura (Bournemouth), Bruce Kangwa (Azam), Onisimo Bhasera (SuperSport United).

Midfielders: Temptation Chiwunga (JDR Stars), Kevin Madzongwe (FC Platinum), Bill Antonio (Dynamos), Thabani Kamusoko (Zesco), Never Tigere (Azam), Kudakwashe Mahachi (SuperSport United), Shepherd Mhlanga (Chicken Inn), Ishmael Wadi (JDR Stars), Panashe Mutimbanyoka (FC Platinum).

Strikers: Prince Dube (Azam), Knox Mutizwa (Golden Arrows), David Moyo (Hamilton Academy), Knowledge Musona (Al-tai), Tinotenda Kadewere (Lyon).