QATAR 2022: HOW ZIMBABWE CAN QUALIFY

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Zimbabwe have already started their journey towards qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament in Qatar. The journey to qualify for Qatar 2022 started for Zimbabwe in the first round of the African qualifiers for the tournament due to their low position in the FIFA Rankings. They were drawn against Somalia in the first round and were able to progress to the second round after a 3-2 aggregate win over the two legs played in 2019. Anwar Shakunda gave Somalia a 1-0 lead at home at the end of the first leg but Zimbabwe were able to respond in the second leg after a brief scare. Zimbabwe won the second leg 3-1 at home to secure passage into the next round. Marshall Munetsi, Admiral Muskwe and KhamaBilliat were the goalscorers for Zimbabwe, while Somalia got what proved to be mere consolation goal in the second leg through Omar Mohammed.

For the second round, four teams have been drawn into each group and there are ten groups in total. At the end of proceedings in each group, the group winner will advance into the third and final round of the African qualifiers. Zimbabwe can’t afford any slipups in their own group if they want to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history ahead of the next edition in Qatar at the end of next year. The World Cup 2022 tournament in Qatar starts on November 21 and ends on December 18. Zimbabwe have a tough group to navigate after they were drawn with the likes of Ghana, South Africa and Ethiopia in Group G. Only the group winner will qualify for the next round.
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DARIKWA AND NAKAMBA AFCON PARTICIPATION FOR ZIMBABWE UNCERTAIN

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Zambia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe face uncertainties in their quest to secure a straight ticket to the AFCON finals as the Covid-imposed troubles and restrictions continue to linger on. British authorities have placed regulations and restrictions against passage into their country, and that may have a minor impact on the progress of the competition which has been slated to hold later this year.

 

The Zebras are expected to welcome The Warriors in Gaborone where they are to play their penultimate game of the qualifiers. The Warriors will then have to play at home against Chipolopolo just one week after, in the final round of games. (more…)

ZIMBABWE STAR COMMITS TO ASTON VILLA DESPITE RUMORS OVER FUTURE

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Aston Villa’s Zimbabwean midfielder Marvelous Nakamba has reiterated his desire to remain at Villa Park and fight for his place in the team. This comes after several reports have emerged about him potentially sealing a transfer away from the club because he is no longer needed by the manager.


However, in what would come as a sign of relief to some Villa fans, the combative midfielder has come out publicly to declare his love for the club and to also maintain his stance that he does not wish to leave anytime soon. (more…)

ZIMBABWE ON COURSE FOR AFCON 2022

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Zimbabwe have put themselves in a good position to qualify for the 2022 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon after the latest set of qualifiers earlier this month. Matchday 3 & 4 games took place in November with the Zimbabweans facing holders Algeria in a double header in Group H of the qualifiers.


The Zimbabwe national football team had gone six games without a single defeat ahead of the away trip to Algeria. In the end, the six-match unbeaten run was ended as they tasted their first defeat in Group H courtesy the 3-1 loss to the African Champions.
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Zimbabwe and Other SA Countries Resume Matches

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In Zimbabwe, football season is set to resume soon and when it does, Phunya Sele Sele might be without the first choice that they have for left-back. That is because Ronald Pfumbidzai, the Celtic defender from Bloemfontein might be stuck in the country. He being an international player from Zimbabwe, decided to come back to his home country after the games were suspended. With the pandemic paralyzing most games from March onwards, the borders between the neighboring countries and South Africa were also closed. This was one of the restrictions imposed for preventing the spread of the pandemic.


Sello Nduna, the media officer from the Celtic region, confirmed for the team that the left-back was yet to make his way back to the club. The player is also unable to come back as flights are yet to resume from Zimbabwe. It was due to measures that were not in control of the club though Premier Soccer League was working to clear such issues so that the South African football association or Safa could open up the season soon.
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KESHI ‘DIRTY DEALS’

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It could be sober reflection due to more than usual time to reflect during the lockdown that fueled the Stephen Keshi confessions. The late Nigerian coach has been dragged into ‘dirty deals’ scandal even when he cannot defend himself.

It started when 33-year old former Super Eagles forward Chinedu Obasi on Instagram Live revealed he was very heartbroken to have missed the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He claimed he lost his spot in the final selection because he refused to pay a bribe. He had expected to have been selected based on his form at Schalke 04 in the German Bundesliga in the 2013/14 season. (more…)

REVIEW: LEICESTER CITY VS ASTON VILLA

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Leicester City returned to winning ways as they put four goals past Aston Villa. Brendan Rodger’s side have only taken two points from their last four league outings and looking further back they have won just two matches in their last eight matches. A poor run of form that has seen the Foxes lose their grip in the race to UEFA champions league spot at the end of the season.

Before their poor run of form, they were the closest to Liverpool and were ahead of Manchester City. They are now 3rd in the league, 5 points ahead of Chelsea in fourth place and 4 points behind Pep Guardiola’s men in second place, albeit they have played a game more.

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SUPER EAGLES CLIMB FOUR PLACES IN NEW FIFA RANKINGS

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Other than Zimbabwe’s weird suspension from participating in the qualifiers of last year’s world cup in Russia, this year has been a relatively quiet one for Africa. The Super Eagles of Nigeria continue to be one of the continent’s flag bearers and the latest FIFA rankings saw them move four places to finish the year at 31st.


Nigeria is now behind Senegal and Tunisia in the race for the best team in the tournament while Zimbabwe are still riling from their suspension hoping that nothing funny happens on route the qualification for Qatar 2022.
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Zimbabwe Calls 10 PSL Stars for Afcon Qualifier

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Zimbabwe has been able to punch higher than its weights in football and it one of the few remaining sources of national pride for the country. About 11 players from the top-flight of Mzansi have been called for Warriors and PSL continues offering proof that they are in the league and attracting the interest of other countries.

Joey Antipas, the coach of Zimbabwe has named ten players from the Premier Soccer League of South Africa in a provisional squad of 32 man team for the qualifiers of African Cup of Nations that is going to take place in the month of November.

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Zimbabwe Boycott Olympic Football Qualifier

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The trouble going on in Zimbabwe women’s football team has not ended yet. The national team is denying to play their second-round Olympic qualifier second leg opposite Zambia on Sunday in Harare. All the players in the team have refused to complete the fixture because they owe allowances from Cosafa Cup of last month in South Africa.

On the night of Saturday, in an extreme step, four clubs asked their players to leave the camp late, and the Zifa attempted to field a club side as a substitute for the national team, but that plan didn’t work. Zimbabwe women team lost the first leg 5-0. The reason they give for their loss in the match was that they traveled to Lusaka by road because of which they didn’t get enough time to get trained for the match. After the match, Sithethelelwe Sibanda the coach of Mighty Warriors said, “Our country has to be blamed for this loss. Our country couldn’t afford time for the team to train.”
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