Matola in Warriors squad for COSAFA finals

Matola in Warriors squad for COSAFA finals

MATOLA (diving) on duty during the African Nations Cup

• Matema, Murape in COSAFA squad

• Mwaruwari: the truth about me and Peter

• Zifa in Ndlovu/Mwaruwari fight cover up

• Ndlovu, Mwaruwari exchange blows over women

• Nyandoro rescues Warriors

By Sports Reporter

SUPERSPORT United defender James Matola is the only player plying his trade outside Zimbabwe's borders included in the Warriors' squad that takes part in the COSAFA Castle Cup in Mozambique this weekend.

Matola -- a winner of the competition as captain in 2005 -- returns in the same role, after the Warriors managed to secure his release from his club.

Supersport are inactive this weekend after losing 1-0 to Black Leopards on Wednesday night.

This will come as a huge relief to the technical department whose overtures for Evans Gwekwerere of Moroka Swallows and Onesimo Bhasera of Maritzburg United were rebuffed.

Coach Charles Mhlauri also failed to secure the release of the Cercle Brugge of Belgium pair of Honour Gombami and Vusa Nyoni, and the Cyprus-based pair of Musa Mguni and Noel Kaseke.

Warriors manager Ernest Sibanda named an 18-member squad that will take part in the championships.

“Matola will be available and this will give us the experience that we need in the two games. We remain confident that we will produce the required results with the players we have chosen,” said Sibanda.

Matola is expected to form a central defence partnership with his vice captain Obert Moyo, while David Kutyauirpo and Zephaniah Ngodzo could play as right and left wing backs respectively, with Method Mwanjali being pushed into midfield.

The technical team picked a number of Under 23 national team players who took part in the All Africa and Olympic Games qualifiers against Mozambique and Cameroon respectively.

The Highlanders trio of goalkeeper Washington Arubi, leftback Zephaniah Ngodzo and striker Obadiah Tarumbwa, Kingstone Nkatha, Zhaimu Jambo and Carrington Gomba are part of the set up.

Leading CBZ Premier League scorer Ralph Matema, the Dynamos pair of Justice Majabvi and Edward Sadomba and the CAPS United trio of Method Mwanjali, Washington Pakamisa and David Kutyauripo, have also been given a vote confidence.

Goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube, expelled from Masvingo United on Tuesday over a dispute linked to the Independence Trophy final win bonuses, was selected ahead of Nkululeko Dlamini of CAPS FC.

Zimbabwe has won three COSAFA Castle Cup titles in 2000, 2003 and 2005 and play Madagascar in the first game on Saturday. If they win, they will meet the winner between the hosts Mozambique and Seychelles for a place in the last four draw.

COSAFA Squad
W Arubi, T Dube, Z Ngodzo, T Sweswe, C Gomba, J Majabvi, O Tarumbwa, K Nkhatha, W Phakamisa, E Sadomba, D Kutyauripo, M Mwanjali, R Matema, Z Jamu, C Matawu, B Marere, O Moyo, J Matola
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
ozzie@newzimbabwe.com