AFCON debutant Prince Dube delighted with Warriors call up

Tanzanian outfit Azam FC striker Prince ‘Mgadafi’ Dube has expressed his delight at being called up to the national team, the ZIFA media team has revealed.

Dube returns to the Warriors fold a year after his absence due to a sustained series of injuries in 2021.

The 23-year-old striker’s delight comes after he is going to make his debut at the highly-rated AFCON tournament.

In his professional football career, Dube has never played at the biggest continental showpiece.

However, he has finally broken the jinx and will participate at this year’s rescheduled edition of the Total Energies AFCON 2021.

Speaking to the ZIFA information team in Cameroon as the Warriors continue with their AFCON preparations, Mgadafi revealed that it is an honour to be part of the selected 23-men squad.

“It is always an honour to represent my country. I want to grab this opportunity and do the best for the country,” Dube said.

“The year 2021 has been hard for me, I had too many injuries.”

The former Highlanders FC striker returned to action in mid December.

He slowly regained his full fitness starting in November when he was doing light training after undergoing rehabilitation process for weeks.

Previously, he had been flown to Cape Town to receive a surgery from specialists over his hernia injury.

Mgadafi went for months on the sidelines after he had reportedly suffered hernia injury and abdominal ailments.

However, the former Supersport United player is now currently enjoying his full fitness resulting in him playing 90 minutes when the Warriors drew nil all with Sudan on Sunday.

The talented striker who is part of the Warriors’ head coach Norman Mapeza’s strike force, reportedly went close to scoring during the goalless draw.

Dube will fight for a place in the starting eleven in Mapeza’s arsenal which consists of Lyon’s Tino Kadewere, captain Knowledge Musona, Scotland based David Moyo and Luton Town’s Admiral Muskwe.

Kadewere and Moyo who had not joined camp, arrived in Cameroon yesterday evening, they are now together with the rest of the squad.

While the duo of Musona and Muskwe is allegedly expected in camp by Wednesday.

But England based Jordan Zemura who is facing a Covid-19 scare, though the club has not communicated if he contracted the virus, is still to be confirmed when he will join others in camp to make the full squad available.

This comes after Zemura’s club AFC Bournemouth was hit by Covid-19 outbreak and announced that all positive players have been placed on a seven day mandatory isolation. Nehanda Radio