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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

BARBOURFIELDS Stadium will play host to the Warriors’ second leg Chan qualifier against Mauritius early next month, Zifa have confirmed.

The first leg is set for Port Louis next week.

Winners of the two legged encounter will set up a date with either South Africa’s Bafana Bafana or Lesotho to decide who goes through to the finals in Cameroon next year.

The Chan tournament is for players plying their trade in their domestic leagues and foreign based players, regardless of where they play, even in Africa, are not permitted to take part in the tournament first held in 2009 where Cote d’Ivoire played host and Democratic Republic of Congo emerged winners.

The last edition in 2018 was held in Morocco and won by the hosts who mauled Nigeria 4-0.

Zimbabwe’s Warriors failed to qualify after being knocked out by Namibia.

Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela said Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa will announce the provisional squad for the first leg on Monday.

“The first leg squad will be announced on Monday. Naturally the return leg camp ought to be in Bulawayo,” said Gwesela.

Hopes will be high from football fans that the coaches will call up players that are playing well for their clubs instead of basing their template on past performances for the national team.

Highlanders goalkeeper and reigning Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Goalkeeper of the Year Ariel Sibanda is likely to make an emotional return to the national team having been sidelined for a long time despite brilliant performances for the Bulawayo giants.

Also deserving another call up is Chapungu shot stopper Tallbert Shumba while it goes without saying that Chicken Inn’s hitman and the country’s leading marksman Clive Augusto will lead the strikeforce probably alongside Highlanders’ Prince Dube.

FC Platinum’s Kelvin Madzongwe and Ranson Pavari have been playing well for the defending champions, so has Caps United’s Method Mwanjali and Joel Ngodzo.

Tino Benza, Richard Hachiro (Herentals), Leeroy Mavhunga (Yadah), Arthur Masiyiwa, Farawo Matare (Byo Chiefs), Tymon Mvula (Hwange), Simba Chinani (Dynamos), Peter Muduhwa and his defence partner Tendai Ndlovu, Nqobizitha Masuku (Highlanders) are some of the players likely to be called up into camp by Chidzambwa and his lieutenants Rahman Gumbo and Lloyd Mutasa.