Arubi heads list of SA-based players for Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe have four players from the Betway Premiership in their squad for friendlies against Algeria and Qatar this month as they tune up for their appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations finals, where they have South Africa in the same group.

The 40-year-old Marumo Gallants goalkeeper Washington Arubi is expected to continue as first choice in the first matches in charge for new coach Mario Marinica, appointed last week to replace German coach Michael Nees, who was fired after their failure to win any of their World Cup qualifiers.

Marinica has a 24-man squad for Zimbabwe’s clashes against Algeria on November 13 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, before facing Qatar four days later.

Arubi sat out Zimbabwe’s last game against Lesotho in Polokwane to give opportunity to his understudy Elvis Chipezeze from Magesi.

Mamelodi Sundowns left-back Divine Lunga continues in the squad while Gallants’ Daniel Msendami is also retained after he had joined the squad for last month’s matches against Bafana Bafana and Lesotho as a late replacement.

The 27-year-old Washington Navaya is the only newcomer as he heads towards finishing top scorer in the Zimbabwe league this season. With two rounds of fixtures remaining in the campaign, he has 17 goals, two ahead of Scotland’s Tymon Machope.

Machope returns to the squad, as does 20-year-old central midfielder Sean Fusire, who plays in the English Championship for Sheffield Wednesday.

The Finnish-based Prosper Padera is also back, having last month celebrated his 20th birthday, and replaces Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Marshall Munetsi.

Terrence Dzvukamanaja and Khama Billiat are the other notable absentees from the squad.

Marinica will have former SuperSport United coach Kaitano Tembo as his assistant while Stellenbosch goalkeeper coach Pernel McKop continues to also take charge of Zimbabwe’s goalkeepers as he did under Nees.

At the Cup of Nations finals, Zimbabwe are in Group B with Bafana Bafana, Egypt, and Angola.

SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Washington Arubi (Marumo Gallants, South Africa), Elvis Chipezeze (Magesi, South Africa), Martin Mapisa (Moors World of Sport)

Defenders: Munashe Garananga (FC Copenhagen, Denmark), Brandon Galloway (Plymouth Argyle, England), Teenage Hadebe (FC Cincinnati, USA), Emmanuel Jalai (Dynamos), Divine Lunga (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Godknows Murwira (Scottland), Gerald Takwara (Al Ittihad Misurata, Libya)

Midfielders: Tawanda Chirewa (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England), Jonah Fabisch (Erzgebirg Aue, Germany), Sean Fusire (Sheffield Wednesday, England), Daniel Msendami (Marumo Gallants, South Africa), Marvelous Nakamba (Luton Town, England), Prosper Padera (Seinäjoen Jalkapallokerho, Finland), Jordan Zemura (Udinese, Italy)

Strikers: Bill Antonio (KV Mechelen, Belgium), Prince Dube (Young Africans, Tanzania), Tymon Machope (Scottland), Tawanda Maswanhise (Motherwell, Scotland), Knowledge Musona, Walter Musona (both Scottland), Washington Navaya (TelOne).