Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. FC Torpedo Kutaisi defender Alec Mudimu has been ruled out of today’s World Cup qualifier against South Africa due to injury, leaving Warriors coach Zdravko Logarušic without a natural central defender.
With regulars Teenage Hadebe and Jimmy Dzingai also unavailable for selection, Loga will have to do with a makeshift defence for this hugely important match.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the Croat said he was contemplating pushing defensive midfielder Marshal Munetsi to partner left-back Onismor Bhasera at the heart of the defence. He said:
We have so many problems. First, we are playing this game without nine starters. That means we will put a new team for this match.
The second problem is at the back. We are weaker there because we realised today that Alec is not ready for the game.
That means we don’t have any central defender in the squad. Now we will have to improvise something and it’s not been easy for us.
We have so many difficulties at the back, but we have to find a way to come out with a positive result.
Munetsi has played in central defence before for his current club Stade Reims and Orlando Pirates before that, but Loga is concerned that moving him to the back could also create problems for the team in midfield. Added Loga:
I would love to play Marshal in midfield because he is strong and he makes some chances to score goals.
He can give us stability at the back because we don’t have any central defender on the back. So we are thinking to put Bhasera and Marshal together in the central defence.
But we will also create problems in midfield because most of the boys who play there are not playing games for their clubs.
Loga however stressed that despite the disruptions caused by coronavirus travel restrictions and injuries to the Warriors’ preparations for the match, the atmosphere in the camp remains buoyant.
