Lamontville Golden Arrows striker Knox Mutizwa and new Marumo Gallants midfield signing Farai Madhananga have been added to Zimbabwe’s squad for their World Cup qualifier against South Africa in Harare on Friday.
Kevin Moyo from Zambian club Nkana FC, who previously played at Chippa United and JDR Stars’ Ishamel Wadi have also been added after Zimbabwe had named seven British-based players, who can no longer travel for the match.
Locally-based players Godknows Murwira, William Stima and Silas Songani have also been brought in by coach Zdravko Logarusic for the Group G clash.
The 26-man squad now has 10 South Afrian-based players in it and was bolstered by the arrival on Tuesday of French top flight players Tino Kadewere and Marshall Munetsi.
The Zimbabwe Football Association scrambled for replacements after it became clear they would not be able to use their UK-based players. Zimbabwe is on the British government’s Covid-19 ‘red list’ and players would have to quarantine for 10 days on their return to Britain, delaying their return to their clubs.
This has ruled out Macauley Bonne (Ipswich Town), Tendayi Darikwa (Wigan Athletic), Brendan Galloway (Plymouth Argyle), David Moyo (Hamilton Academical), Admiral Muskwe (Luton Town), Marvelous Nakamba (Aston Villa) and Jordan Zemura (AFC Bournemouth).
The former Kaizer Chiefs defender Teenage Hadede is also not traveling from the US, where recently joined Houston Dynamos in Major League Soccer after playing in the Turkish league.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Washington Arubi (Marumo Gallants, South Africa), Martin Mapisa (Zamora, Spain), Talbert Shumba (Free State Stars, South Africa)
Defenders: Onismor Bhasera (SuperSport United, South Africa), Takudzwa Chimwemwe (Nkana FC, Zambia), Divine Lunga (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Kelvin Moyo (Nkana FC, Zambia), Alec Mudimu (Torpedo Kutaisi, Georgia), Godknows Murwira (Dynamos), William Stima (FC Platinum)
Midfielders: Perfect Chikwende (Simba SC, Tanzania), Jonah Fabisch (Hamburger SV, Germany), Thabani Kamusoko (Zesco United, Zambia), Farai Madhananga (Marumo Gallants), Kudakwashe Mahachi (SuperSport United, South Africa), Marshall Munetsi (Stade Reims, France), Butholezwe Ncube (AmaZulu, South Africa), Tafadzwa Rusike (Zesco United, Zambia), Blessing Sarupinda (Sekhukhune United, South Africa), Silas Songani (FC Platinum), Ishmael Wadi (JDR Stars)
Forwards: Khama Billiat (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa), Terrence Dzvukamanja (Orlando Pirates, South Africa) Tino Kadewere (Olympique Lyonnais, France), Knowledge Musona (Al-Tai, Saudi Arabia), Knox Mutizwa (Lamontville Golden Arrows, South Africa).