Kambala keeps his spot in Mozambique squad

Polokwane City midfielder Manuel Kambala has retained his berth in the Mozambique squad for next month’s World Cup qualifiers, but there is no place for the veteran captain Dominguez in the squad named for the key encounters.

Coach Chiquinho Conde has picked 25 players for the Group G games against Uganda in Kampala on 5 September and then at home to Botswana in Maputo on 8 September.

Mozambique are only three points behind leaders Algeria and still have high hopes of securing a first-ever place at the finals in North America next year.

The 34-year-old Kambala, who missed Polokwane City’s first two games of the new season through injury, made a return to the Mambas line-up for the friendly international against South Africa in Polokwane in June.

It was his first appearance for his country in two years, and he did enough to convince the coach to keep him in the squad.

But Dominguez (Elias Pelembe), who was a former Premier Soccer League Player of the Season while at SuperSport United, looks to have come to the end of his international career as he was again left out.

The 41-year-old skippered Mozambique through a successful Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign late last year, but when he failed to hand in his passport in time to get a visa for the key World Cup qualifier against group leaders Algeria in March, he was criticised by the coach for his tardiness and dropped.

He has missed the last three matches for Mozambique.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Ernan (Associação Black Bulls), Ivane Urrubal (Ferroviário Nacala), Kimiss Zavala (Marítimo, Portugal)

Defenders: Calila (Santa Clara, Portugal), Chamboco (Associação Black Bulls), Oscar Cherene (União Desportiva Songo), Chico (Costa do Sol), Bruno Langa (Pafos, Cyprus), Mexer (Keçiörengücü, Turkey), Nanani (União Desportiva Songo), Reinildo (Sunderland, England)

Midfielders: Keyns Abdala (Chaves, Portugal), Alfonso Amade (Dunfermline Athletic, Escócia), Guima (Zira FK, Azerbaijão), Manuel Kambala (Polokwane City, África do Sul), Nene (Associação Black Bulls), Pepo (Caldas, Portugal)

Forwards: Faizal Bangal (Mestre, Itália), Clésio Bauque (Associação Black Bulls), João Bonde (Ferroviário Beira), Cantolo (Chingale Tete), Geny Catamo (Sporting Lisbon, Portugal), Melque (União Desportiva Songo), Stanley Ratifo (Chemie Leipzig, Alemanha), Witi (Nacional, Portugal).