Source: FACTBOX-Soccer-Profile on Zimbabwe team for 2019 African Cup of Nations – Reuters
Sunday Chidzambwa
Factbox on African Cup of Nations qualifiers Zimbabwe:
African Cup of Nations Cup record:
Previous appearances in finals: (3) 2004, 2006, 2017
Best performance: Group Phase
Drawn in Group A with Egypt, DR Congo and Uganda.
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Coach: Sunday Chidzambwa
The 67-year-old is a revered figure of the game in Zimbabwe, having featured in defence in their first-ever post-independence international in 1980, and he has coached the national team now on four separate occasions.
He took Zimbabwe to a maiden Cup of Nations finals appearance in 2004 and has also worked as club coach in neighbouring South Africa.
In 2012 he was given a 10-year ban for alleged match-fixing but this was later lifted as the investigations stalled.
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Key player: Knowledge Musona. Age: 28. Forward.
Bought while still a teenager by the South African giants Kaizer Chiefs from an amateur outfit in Zimbabwe, he proved an instant success in front of goal, nicknamed ‘the Smiling Assassin’ by supporters.
Bundesliga side Hoffenheim bought him in 2011 but he played sparingly in his first season and is now on the books of Anderlecht in Belgium.
He was 20 years old when he made his national team debut and has since scored 22 times for his country.
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FIFA world ranking in June 2019: 109
How they qualified:
Top place in Group G, ahead of DR Congo, Liberia and Congo.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: George Chigova (Polokwane City), Elvis Chipezeze (Baroka), Edmore Sibanda (Witbank Spurs)
Defenders: Tendai Darikwa (Nottingham Forest), Jimmy Dzingai (Power Dynamos), Teenage Hadebe (Kaizer Chiefs), Divine Lunga (Lamontville Golden Arrows), Alec Mudimu (Cefn Druids), Ronald Pfumbidzai (Bloemfontein Celtic)
Midfielders: Talent Chawapihwa (AmaZulu), Thabani Kamusoko (Young Africans), Ovidy Karuru (AmaZulu), Tafadzwa Kutinyu (Azam), Kudakwashe Mahachi, Marshall Munetsi (both Orlando Pirates), Marvelous Nakamba (Club Bruges), Danny Phiri (Lamontville Golden Arrows)
Forwards: Khama Billiat (Kaizer Chiefs), Nyasha Mushekwi (Dalian Yifang), Knowledge Musona (Anderlecht), Knox Mutizwa (Lamontville Golden Arrows), Tinotenda Kadewere (Le Havre), Evans Rusike (SuperSport United). (Editing by Clare Fallon)
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