Covid grounds Benjani
WARRIORS’ assistant coach Benjani Mwaruwari (pictured) is unlikely to join the rest of the team in Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals which start on Sunday.
e Warriors face Senegal in Group B on Monday before taking on Malawi four days later.
Mwaruwari tested positive for Covid-19 before the team travelled to Cameroon. Yesterday Zifa acting chief executive officer Xolisani Gwesela said Zifa were waiting to hear from the Warriors’ skipper on his health update.
“Benjani (Mwaruwari) is yet to join the Warriors team in Cameroon. As you are aware, Benjani had tested positive for Covid-19 prior to the Warriors’ departure and we are yet to hear from him if he has fully recovered and he is ready to join us,” Gwesela said.
As it stands, it’s uncertain if Mwaruwari will join the team before the Monday game or later as the competition progresses.
Efforts to get hold of Mwaruwari were fruitless.
Warriors head coach Norman Mapeza is being assisted by Triangle gaffer Tawurayi Mangwiro and Highlanders’ Mandla Mpofu with Energy Murambadoro, the goalkeepers’ coach.
It’s the same technical team that took over from the Croatian Zdravko Logarušic-led team and when Mapeza was given the nod for the Afcon finals, he kept faith in his men in the dugout,
e Warriors have been boosted by the arrival of skipper Knowledge Musona in Cameroon.
e captain is beaming with confidence after being nominated for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Star of the Month Award, Western region for the month of December for his exploits in his Saudi Pro League side Al Taai.
e Warriors were still awaiting the arrival of Luton Town striker Admiral Muskwe on Wednesday while AFC Bournemouth defender Jordan Zemura was expected yesterday. Striker David Moyo who plies his trade in Scotland for Hamilton Academical and Teenage Hadebe who plays for Houston Dynamo in the United States are already in Cameroon. On Sunday, the Warriors played a goalless draw against Sudan in a friendly match and had another international friendly against hosts Cameroon cancelled because of unavailability of a venue for the game.