AFC Bournemouth utility player Jordan Zemura will not take part in Zimbabwe’s Group B match against Senegal on Monday at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Cameroon.
The 22-year-old arrived in Cameroon on Saturday and was set to have a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test late in the day. Warriors manager Wellington Mpandare confirmed the development. He said:
Jordan (Zemura) will have his PCR test today (yesterday). He will miss the Senegal game.
Warriors coach Norman Mapeza, who was the Warriors captain when Zimbabwe beat Senegal 2-1 in an AFCON qualifier in 1999, told The Sunday Mail Sport that the players are psyched up for the game against Senegal. He said:
The players are pushing and it’s something that I am glad of. Morale is also high and the boys are highly motivated to perform.
Meanwhile, Kundai Benyu returned to full training on Saturday evening after missing training the previous day.
Captain Knowledge Musona, who is making a third straight appearance at the AFCON finals, is available for selection.
The former Kaizer Chiefs man has one goal at AFCON, scored in a 2-4 defeat against Tunisia at the 2017 finals.
Legendary former Warriors skipper, Peter Ndlovu, remains the all-time leading scorer for Zimbabwe at the finals with three goals scored in 2004 in Tunisia.
Esrom Nyandoro, Adam Ndlovu, Joel Lupahla (2004), Benjani Mwaruwari (2006), Kuda Mahachi, Nyasha Mushekwi, Knowledge Musona and Tendai Ndoro (2017), and Khama Billiat (2019) are the only other Zimbabweans to score at the AFCON finals.