WHILE Warriors coach Kalisto Pasuwa might have missed out on Burnley star Tendayi Darikwa, Guinea’s French coach Luis Fernandez might be losing more sleep after his captain and Bundesliga-based superstar Ibrahima Traoré missed the trip to Harare for Sunday’s crucial 2017 Africa Cup of Nations football qualifier at Rufaro Stadium through injury.
BY HENRY MHARA
Darikwa, who joined the English second-tier club at the start of the season, turned down Pasuwa’s Warriors call-up, derailing plans the coach might have had for the match.
Another England-based Zimbabwean player, Macauley Bonne, will also be absent for the match after his third-tier club Colchester refused him permission to join his teammates. Reports suggest that Zifa did not formally invite the player for national duty.
But it is the absence of Darikwa which is a huge blow for the Warriors with Caps United defender Hardlife Zvirekwi and Patson Jaure now set to fight for the right-back position in the team.
Traore the 27-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach winger announced after the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations where he guided his country to the quarter-finals that he would take a break from international football to focus on his club career.
And despite being named in the 23-man squad for the Warriors match early last month, it appears the skilful player has stood by his decision as he is not part of the Guinea squad currently camped and acclimatising in South Africa ahead of the Sunday match.
His club Borussia Monchengladbach on Thursday announced on their website that their player is injured but did not give the nature of the injury.
Another big absentee in the Guinea team is France-based Abdoul Camara Razagui, who has also turned down the national team call preferring to stay with his team Angers SCO, while Sheffield Wednesday veteran defender Kamil Zayatte has announced his retirement from international football.
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But the trio’s absence does not make the Guinea squad any weaker as almost all their players in camp play for top European clubs.
Those to watch in particular include Florentin Pogba, brother of Juventus and France international Paul Pogba, and Kevin Constant of Turkish giants Trabzonspor.
Guinea, bottom in Group L, are hard-pressed to win this match to remain in contention after they were stunned 2-1 by tiny Swaziland in a horror debut for former France World Cup star Fernandez as qualification for the Nations Cup in Gabon began in June.
The Syli National, as Guinea are affectionately known, arrived in South Africa on Saturday and are expected in Harare on Friday.
Guinea squad Goalkeepers: Abdul Aziz Keita (AS Kaloum), Nouhan Conde (Satellite) Defenders: Florentin Pogba (AS Saint-Etienne, France), Fode Camara (Horoya AC), Issiaga Sylla (Gazelec Ajaccio, France), Oumar Diop (El Hoceima, Morocco), Ibrahima Sory Bangoura and Ben Sékou Camara (both Horoya AC) Midfielders: Mohamed Diarra (Odense, Denmark) Lanfia Camara (Patro Esden, Belgium), Naby Keita (Salzburg, Austria), Boubacar Fofana (Madeira, Portugal), Kevin Constant (Trabzonspor, Turkey). Forwards: Idrissa Sylla (Anderlecht, Belgium) Sekou Keita (Evian, France), Alhassane Bangoura (Rayo Vallecano, Spain), Seydouba Soumah (Qadeseyah, Kuwait), François Kamano (SC Bastia, France), Aboubacar Demba Camara (Gaziantepsport, Turkey), Alkhaly Bangoura (Etoile du Sahel, Tunisia), Mohamed Yattara (Standard Liege, Belgium)
