Mushekwi’s US$20m rivalry as Hamsik makes his debut

From page 10 looked by the coach who started Dalian Yifang’s campaign in the Chinese Super League last year, but the arrival of Schuster dramatically changed his fortunes, with the Zimbabwe international forward finding his goal-scoring touch.

His new coach Kang-Hee was named the 2016 Asian Coach of the Year, while he also won the South Korean top-flight league, K-League 1, Manager of the Year in 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018.

The 59-year-old gaffer had two spells at South Korean side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, between 2005 and 2011, and between 2013 and 2018 while, in 2012, he was in charge of his national team.

Mushekwi, one of the players likely to feature in the Warriors squad for the final 2019 AFCON qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville on March 24, underwent a delicate career-defining surgery in the Spanish capital Madrid in November last year.

The surgery was conducted by a team of specialist Spanish doctors and came just a few days before the Warriors plunged into a key battle in Monrovia, Liberia, in their 2019 AFCON campaign.

Needing just a draw, to qualify for the next AFCON finals, the Warriors misfired terribly and went down 0-1 in that match.

The surgery also came just a few days after another wave of speculative and highly toxic reports emerged in local newspapers that the big forward was faking injury to keep himself out of the Warriors campaign.

Mushekwi has maintained he will always be available to play for his country as long as he is fit to do so, and the coaches believe he could add value to the team.