The Zimbabwe Warriors’ preparations for the AFCON finals in Morocco are in turmoil just three weeks before kick-off, following head coach Marian “Super Mario” Marinica’s controversial mass culling of the 55-man provisional squad.
While rivals have named their final teams, Marinica has swiftly axed several key local players, including Soccer Star of the Year finalists Abubakar Moffat and Emmanuel Jalai, as well as Walter Musona, Junior Makunike, Xolani Ndlovu, and Andrew Mbeba.
The official reason provided by the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) is injuries, a claim met with widespread skepticism.
ZIFA released a detailed statement citing specific medical issues, such as Musona’s hamstring injury and Jalai’s thigh contusion, insisting the decisions were based on medical assessment and non-compliance with scan requests.
Despite Marinica’s recent goodwill from a 2-1 friendly win over Qatar, the opaque process and instability threaten team morale.
As foreign-based players join the camp, the coach is racing against the clock to establish a cohesive squad before the finals begin in Morocco.
