By Nigel Matongorere
Warriors star player Khama Billiat expressed disappointment on missing out on the team’s first match of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) campaign due to injury.
Zimbabwe take on Liberia at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday without one of their star players, who is still recovering from an ankle injury.
The Mamelodi Sundowns forward flew into the country yesterday afternoon accompanied by The Brazilians team manager Peter Ndlovu and addressed a media briefing where he said he would have done everything within his power to play for the Warriors.
“I’m so disappointed. If there was anything I could do to be fit, I would have done it. I feel I have a lot to offer the nation,” a devastated Billiat said.
“For me, my name to be on the list of the squad is an honour. There are a lot of Zimbabweans who are capable of playing but the chance is coming to me.
“It’s not in my control at the moment because I always want to play football. I’m not playing football at the moment and I’m trying my best to be back on the field.
“I know what I have to do to be back again. I don’t want to come back and go back to being injured quickly.”
Ndlovu said they would have loved to have Billiat play on Sunday but the extent of the injury was not permitting.
“I work for Sundowns, Khama works for Sundowns. I do not make decisions for Sundowns and it’s not fair for people to say I’m blocking Khama from coming to Zimbabwe,” he said.
“In fact, if he is not injured, I’m the one who fights Mamelodi Sundowns to say why are we not releasing a player if he’s able to play? It’s an ankle injury that he suffered while playing against Maritzburg. We have lost important matches that he has missed because he’s injured.
“We wanted him to play but we understood that he’s injured. He’s not available for another two or three weeks.” Daily News
