Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa might be forced to temporarily leave his team’s camp at the COSAFA Cup in Durban, South Africa, to attend the funeral of his father who died in Harare yesterday.
Chidzambwa’s father has been unwell for some time and forced the gaffer to miss the media conference for the squad where COSAFA and AFCON finals was unveiled.
Assistant coach Lloyd Mutasa announced the squad.
Mhofu is unbeaten at the COSAFA Cup and his team booked their place in the semi-finals with a comfortable 2-0 win over Comoros on Saturday.
The Warriors will take on Zambia in the last four.
Zambia and Botswana sealed their place in the 2019 COSAFA Cup semi-finals with memorable penalty shootout wins over Malawi and hosts South Africa respectively at the Princess Magogo Stadium yesterday.
Zambia edged Malawi after a 2-2 draw in a hard-fought quarter-final, while before that a youthful South Africa had let a two-goal lead slip to also draw 2-2 with Botswana, and then lose in the post-match shoot-out.
It means The Zebras will tackle Lesotho in Wednesday’s semi-finals at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, while Zambia advance to another massive clash as defending champions Zimbabwe loom — a repeat of the final in the last two editions.
Malawi were quick out of the blocks against Chipolopolo as Gabadinho Mhango moved to joint top of the scorers charts with his third goal of the competition.
He turned the ball home from close-range to take his COSAFA Cup career tally to six and in sight of the all-time leading scorers in the competition, Peter Ndlovu from Zimbabwe and Felix Badenhorst from Eswatini, who have eight.
Zambia were denied an equaliser by Malawi goalkeeper Ernest Kakhobwe, as Lazarous Kambowe saw his effort well saved, before Mhango fired a free-kick straight at Chipolopolo keeper Sebastian Mwange.
Botswana were awarded a penalty when Richard Mbulu was fouled in the box from a free-kick and referee Lebalang Mokete from Lesotho had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Phiri Jnr, who netted a crucial spot-kick against Namibia in the pool stages, stepped up and made no mistake again for his third of the competition.
Zambia pulled one back almost out of nothing as Austin Muwowo pounced to reduce the deficit on 58 minutes.
And they were level on 89 minutes when Malawi keeper Kakhobwe had a moment of madness, missing a back-pass altogether as he tried to clear, allowing Kambole to lay the ball on for Emmanuel Chabula to score the simplest of tap-ins.
That means the game went to penalties and after Chawanangwa Kaonga and Precious Sambani missed for The Flames, Zambia were able to seal their spot in the next round. South Africa let a two-goal lead slip as they were bundled out of the competition at the quarterfinal stage for the fourth time in the last five years.
Luther Singh and Grant Margeman had given the home side a comfortable 2-0 half-time lead, but when they failed to add to that advantage, Botswana clawed their way back into the game — Sports Reporter/Cosafa
