Gumbo Names Squad for World Cup ties

Prichard who was born in Harare but left Zimbabwe for England at the age of 10 has declared his commitment to representing Zimbabwe despite an option that he can also play for England.

Pritchard is the only new face in a largely unchanged squad that also includes Dynamos striker Takesure Chinyama who has been banging in the goals since his return from Poland to join the popular Harare outfit.

Also back in the squad are the trio of Ajax Cape Town’s Khama Billiart, Willard Katsande of Kaiser Chiefs in South Africa as well as Ovidy Karuru US Boulogne in France who missed the February Africa Cup of Nations defeat in Burundi through suspension.

The three were part of the close to 100 players who were suspended by Zifa after they were fingered in the Asiagate scandal but have since been cleared by the Zifa Ethics Committee, and are likely to play a big role in Zimbabwe road to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup and South Africa for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

The coaches have widened their selection to the extent that even lowly ranked teams such as Chicken Inn, Hwange and Mochudi Centre Chiefs of Botswana are well represented.

However, top striker Knowledge Musona of Hoffeinheim in German who has scored in almost all the games Zimbabwe has played will lead the attack while midfield anchorman Tinashe Nengomasha of Kaiser Chiefs, defender Onismo Bhasera of Plymouth in England, and Tapuwa Kapini of Amazulu in South Africa have also been retained.

The surprise omission is that of Dynamos goalkeeper and reigning soccer star of the year Washington Arubi whose place has been taken over by Njabulo Nyoni of Chicken Inn.

The Warriors will go into camp on May 22 and will only break camp after their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Burundi on May 17. In between, the Warriors will play two World Cup qualifiers against Guinea on June 3 and Mozambique on June 10.

The other team in the group is Egypt whom the Warriors will only play in March next year after the Nations Cup finals in South Africa.

The squad
Goalkeepers
Tapiwa Kapini (Amazulu-SA), Njabulo Nyoni (Chicken Inn) Marlon Jani (Motor Action), Timothy Sibanda (Hwange)

Defenders
Tapiwa Khumbuyani (CAPS United), Godfrey Moyo (Motor Action), Patson Jaure (Dynamos), Nyasha Mukumbi (CAPS United),Onismore Bhasera (Plymouth Argyle-UK), Carrington Nyadombo (Amazulu-SA)

Midfielders
Simon Munawa (Highlanders), Denver Mukamba (Dynamos), Charles Sibanda (FC Platinum), Kuda Mahachi (Chicken Inn), Ronald Chitiyo (Monomotapa), Welcome Ndiweni (FC Platinum), Bradley Pritchard (Charlton Athletic-UK), Vusa Nyoni (Gerninal Beerschot-Belgium), Tinashe Nengomasha (Kaizer Chiefs-SA), Khama Billiat (Ajax Cape Town-SA), Ovidy Karuru (US Boulogne), Willard Katsande (KaizerChiefs), Oscar Machapa (Moroka Swallows), Archiford Gutu (Kalmarff-Sweden)

Strikers
Rodwell Chinyengetere (Hwange), Takesure Chinyama (Dynamos), Francisco Zvikumbawire (Hwange), Terrence Mandaza (Platinum Stars-SA), Arnold Chaka (Mochudi Centre Chiefs-Botswana), Knowledge Musona (Hoffeinheim-Germany).