Nakamba out of Afcon qualifiers

Source: Nakamba out of Afcon qualifiers -Newsday Zimbabwe

Nakamba is set to be part of England Championship side Luton Town when they face Queens Park Rangers in the second round of the EFL Cup tonight.

WARRIORS skipper Marvelous Nakamba is out of the Zimbabwe national football team men’s team Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Cameroon and Kenya next month.

Nakamba is set to be part of England Championship side Luton Town when they face Queens Park Rangers in the second round of the EFL Cup tonight.

But his return to action has come a little bit too late, with Warriors coach naming his squad yesterday.

After Luton coach Rob Edwards announced that Nakamba would return to competitive action this week, it raised hope that the Warriors captain could make it for next month’s internationals.

The Warriors’ campaign starts next week with the men’s senior team clashing with Kenya’s Harambee Stars next week at Mandela National Sports Stadium in Kampala, Uganda.

Like Zimbabwe, Kenya does not have a Caf-certified stadium to host international matches.

Kenya has opted for Uganda, where the Warriors will also host Cameroon in another Group J match on September 10.

Zimbabwe will be away to Namibia on October 7 before hosting the Brave Warriors on October 15 at a venue to be announced.

Giving an update on Luton Town’s squad, Edwards hinted that Nakamba, who has endured a long spell on the sidelines due to a nagging knee injury, will be part of the team that plays Queens Park Rangers tonight in the Carabao Cup.

However, the Warriors’ star was not part of the squad that lost 1-0 to Preston in the Championship at Deepdale on Saturday.

“We’ll try to introduce Marv on Tuesday as well. This weekend is too soon for him, but we’ll look to get him minutes on Tuesday as well. We’re starting to shape up quite nicely. I did say it (would happen), but anyway,” Edwards said before the weekend game against Preston.

Nakamba featured in the Warriors’ Group C World Cup qualifiers in November last year against Rwanda and aggravated an injury that kept him out of action since then.

The Warriors drew against Rwanda and Nigeria in the East African country.

Nakamba returned to full training last month.

Luton Town were relegated from the English Premier League to the second-tier league last season and Nakamba missed a significant part of their campaign in the top league due to that injury.

Warriors squad

Goalkeepers: Washington Arubi, Marley Tavaziva, Donovan Bernard

Defenders: Gerald Takwara, Brendon Galloway, Munashe Garananga, Andrew Mbeba, Godknows Murwira, Emmanuel Jalai, Teenage Hadebe

Midfielders: Marshall Munetsi, Andy Rinomhota, Jordan Zemura, Walter Musona, Daniel Msendami, Brian Banda, Tawanda Maswanhise, Tawanda Chirewa, Richard Hachiro

Strikers: Tino Kadewere, Douglas Mapfumo, Prince Dube, Obriel Chirinda

COMMENTS

WORDPRESS: 0