Fabisch in Warriors provisional squad

By The Standard | Jun. 28, 2021 | 4 Min read

GERMANY-BASED midfielder Jonah Fabisch could finally make his bow for the senior national team squad after he was included in the Warriors squad for next month’s Cosafa tournament announced by coach Zdravko Logarušić yesterday.

BY HENRY MHARA

The 25-member squad, which is a mixture of fringe players and regulars, is headlined by Ovidy Karuru, who is set to captain the team.

Together with Jimmy Dzingai and Knox Mutizwa, the veteran midfielder is one of the few regular Warriors players who have been included in the team.

Washington Arubi, who is making his return to the national team for the first time since 2015, is also expected to add experience and steel in the side.

The veteran goalkeeper will battle for a position in the team with Spain-based star Martin Mapisa and Nelson Chadya of Ngezi Platinum Stars.

However, it is the inclusion of Fabisch in the squad that will be of much interest to the team’s followers.

The 19-year-old is the son of the late Dream Team coach Reinhard, and qualifies to play for Zimbabwe through his mother Chawada Kachidza-Fabisch.

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He holds a Zimbabwean passport.

The Hamburger SV defensive midfielder was selected for the initial Warriors’ 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against Botswana and Zambia last year, but excused himself from the two ties.

His mother wrote to Zifa at the time that his son needed to concentrate on his club football, at Hamburger SV.

“He is honoured that the coach is willing to give him a chance to represent his country,’’ Chawada-Fabisch wrote at the time.

“He is also very keen to do so. But, at this point in time, it is crucial that he is available to showcase his talent here in Hamburg in order for him to establish his position in the senior department.

“It is likely he will train and play with the first team in the week of the upcoming matches, so we need him to be available here.

“Once we have established what role he will play at senior level, then he will be at liberty to travel and join the Warriors in the battle for glory.

“So, we ask for a little patience and when the time is right, he will be ready for the call of duty.”

Fabisch has since risen from the club’s under-19 squad, where he was captaining the side, to playing regularly in the Hamburger SV II, a developmental team for the senior team, currently playing in the Bundesliga second division.

He has played all 10 matches for Hamburger SV II this term, and he has been so impressive that he earned himself a call to train with the first team in a training camp in Portugal in January this year as they prepare for the new season which starts at the end of next month.

Another eye-catching name on the Warriors list is that of United States-based midfielder Nyasha Dube, the son of Hwange coach, Nation.

The 23-year-old plays for Little Rock Rangers, a team that plays in the lower leagues in the US.

Perfect Chikwende, who scored the only goal in the 1-0 win over Botswana for Zimbabwe to clinch a ticket to the Afcon finals, has been rewarded with another call.

There was no place for Croatia-based defender Romario Matova, despite his club last week announcing that he had been called to the national team.

The squad is expected to start trooping into camp today to start training.

Three players will be dropped from the provisional squad, with the final squad expected to leave for South Africa on Monday.

Zimbabwe were drawn to play West African guest nation Senegal, Mozambique and 2015 Cosafa Cup winners Namibia in Group C at the tournament to be played in Port Elizabeth.

The Warriors will begin their campaign with a match against Mozambique on June 8, before facing Namibia three days later.

They will conclude their group matches against Senegal.

Only the top team in each of the three groups and the best-placed runner-up will advance to the semifinals, in what is a change in format for the tournament this year.

That means each side is guaranteed three games up to a maximum of five, which will provide vital preparation for teams like Zimbabwe involved in the World Cup qualifiers in September.

Logarusic has said that the players that impress him at the Cosafa will be included in the main squad for the World Cup qualifiers and the Afcon finals in January next year.

Warriors Cosafa squad:

Goalkeepers: W Arubi (Marumo Gallants, SA), N Chadya (Ngezi Platinum Stars), M Mapisa (Zamora CF, Spain)

Defenders: M Phiri (Sekhukhune United, SA), K Moyo (Nkana, Zambia), C Mavhurume (Caps United), A Mbeba (Highlanders), L Muchero (Yadah), G Murwira (Dynamos), Q Amini (Ngezi Platinum Stars), M Mkolo (Bulawayo Chiefs), J Dzingai (Nkana, Zambia)

Midfielders: B Sarupinda (Caps United), P Chikwende (Simba Stars (Tanzania), T Tawengwa (Harare City), S Nyahwa (Dynamos), B Banda (FC Platinum), K Nadolo (Dynamos), N Dube (Little Rocks Rangers (US), J Fabisch (Hamburger SV, Germany), O Karuru (Black Leopards, South Africa), R Hachiro (Caps United)

Strikers: F Matare (Bulawayo Chiefs), K Mutizwa (Lamontville Golden Arrows, South Africa), E Rusike (unattached)