AFTER another blip in the Warriors travelling arrangements and camp, the senior men’s national football team was set to fly to the Comoros early this morning to finish off the islanders in the 2016 Orange African Nations Championships (Chan) first round, second leg qualifier at the Stade de Beaumer in the capital Moroni this afternoon.
BY WELLINGTON TONI
Coach Kalisto Pasuwa briefly quit the Warriors on Thursday evening after the second training session due to unpaid salaries and allowances, reportedly amounting to $11 000, before returning to camp after the impassé was resolved late last night.
At 2pm yesterday afternoon, Gibson Mahachi, Pasuwa’s manager, said Zifa had tabled a proposal which was not acceptable to the coach.
The last training session which was due for the afternoon was also called off as the impassé continued.
At 4pm, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) entered the fray with Mahachi reporting “some progress” and a promise that something could be salvaged within two hours.
By 7pm, the deadlock had been broken with Mahachi saying: “The SRC has made a commitment to pay something to the coach before he leaves for the Comoros. But obviously, the issue has not been fully addressed. It needs to be addressed properly.”
But by 7:20pm, SRC director general Charles Nhemachena, while confirming that Pasuwa had agreed to travel, said there was still some cash needed by Air Zimbabwe to fulfill some of their mandatory obligations. The total cost of the charter is $83 000.
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“The charter is available. Everything is available, but cash is needed to meet some obligations at Air Zimbabwe. So we are running around and making some engagements to salvage the situation.
“We have spoken to the coach and he has accepted to go, but the challenge is getting the cash for those obligations. So for now, I cannot categorically state that the trip is on and if we have to leave, then it could around 1am (this morning),” Nhemachena told NewsDay Sport last night.
At 8:25pm, Nhemachena left Harare for Bulawayo for the burial of former SRC board chairman Joseph James, who will be laid to rest at Lady Stanley Cemetery this morning.
Director of business development and marketing Daniel Kuwengwa took over the responsibilities and said: “The organisation of the trip is now at ministerial level.”
At 9:30pm, Kuwengwa finally confirmed the Warriors departure: “The team is definitely going. Air Zimbabwe wanted a guarantee and the Reserve Bank provided that guarantee. So for now, it’s the logistics that are being worked out and I am not sure how much time that will take.”
The Air Zimbabwe flight was expected to carry a delegation of 30 Warriors players, the technical team and head of delegation.
About 70 seats were being offered at a subsidised cost of $450 per head.
The flight was also expected to take about four hours, meaning the Warriors will just have enough time to rest and stretch their legs before the match.
While naming his team, Pasuwa could have been aware of the travelling situation and that fatigue might creep into his charges.
Speaking to NewsDay Sport on Tuesday, Pasuwa said they would not want to open too much gaps at the back despite taking a 2-0 lead.
Flame Lily left-back Farai Madhanaga has replaced injured Divine Lunga.
Lunga was injured in the first leg and replaced by attacker Pritchard Mpelele.
“We don’t want to open gaps, so we have called up Madhanaga as replacement for Lunga. We want defenders and you know Pritchard Mpelele is not a defender.
“We would have preferred to go with the same players who played in the first leg, but some of them have gone for trials and we face a challenge in that some of them are not playing regularly for their respective clubs and am a bit worried about their fitness level.
“It’s one of the challenges we are facing, but we have to try and come back with a good result. We shouldn’t underestimate our opponents. They will be at home and they will be dangerous. We saw them when they came here, they are a good side,” Pasuwa said on Tuesday.
Evans Rusike, who is on trials with Maritzburg United in South Africa, and Marshall Mudehwe, scored the two goals at Rufaro Stadium two weeks ago that gave Zimbabwe the lead.
Thomas Chideu, who also played in the first leg, is out as he is on trials at Ajax Cape Town in SA, while Ronald Chitiyo has not been released by his club.
Goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva was also withdrawn, leaving Pasuwa with Donovan Bernard and new call-up Criss Mverechena.
Should the Warriors progress, they will meet either Botswana or Lesotho who do battle in the second leg at the National Stadium in Gaborone this afternoon.
The two sides drew 0-0 in the reverse fixture in Maseru and the tie remains delicately balanced. But playing any of the two would be good for the Warriors as they can simply undertake a road trip!
