By Ishemunyoro Chingwere
Kallisto Pasuwa is on Tuesday expected to announce the squad that will play Swaziland in back-to-back Group L 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The Warriors are away to Swaziland on Easter Friday – March 25 – before hosting Sihlangu on March 28.
Pasuwa is expected to meet his assistants, Saul Chaminuka, Nation Dube and Richard Tswatswa, today to finalise team selection.
The Warriors are joint Group L leaders with coach Harris “Madze” Bulunga’s men on four points, but Sihlangu are better placed by virtue of having scored four times compared to the Warriors’ three goals.
Team manager Sharif Mussa confirmed that the eagerly anticipated announcement would come on Tuesday, followed by camping which is scheduled to begin on March 20.
“We are expecting the coach to name the squad on Tuesday or at least Wednesday at the latest. We expect the boys to troop into camp on March 20 after their weekend fixtures, with training beginning the next day.
“The coaches are definitely happy with the rich vein of form most of our players are in but what is expected of them is consistency because club football is different from international football,” said Mussa.
Pasuwa was largely expected to have already named his men for the Easter double-header but the record-breaking coach reportedly delayed doing so to allow a round-table with his assistants.
“The coach will meet his support staff to finalise the squad then submit his preferred list to Zifa,” said an official who declined to be named.
With Pasuwa’s men not keen on hosting Swaziland on the hard surface at Rufaro, Zifa have invited the Confederation of African Football to inspect and certify the refurbished National Sports Stadium.
Swaziland also have their own headache over the match venue as their only CAF-certified stadium, Somhlolo, has been booked for church services over the Easter holiday.
The National Football Association of Swaziland is negotiating to have the match played at Somhlolo.
“We have already requested to have the stadium on the day seeing that Somhlolo is the only internationally approved stadium we have in the country,” NFAS chief executive Frederick Mngomezulu told the Swazi Times last week.
“We are positive we will be able to use the venue, especially when considering the magnitude of the game.” The Sunday Mail
