By Plymouth Herald
Plymouth Argyle are in contact with the Zimbabwe Football Association about an issue over the expected inclusion of defender Brendan Galloway in their squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco at the end of December.
The official date for Galloway and other players to join up with the Warriors’ squad is Monday December 8, which is two weeks before they kick off their Group B campaign at the tournament.
However, Argyle have an away League One game against Wycombe Wanderers the following night and they are hoping that Galloway can be involved for them in that match at Adams Park before leaving for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Galloway played at left-back for the Pilgrims in their 1-0 victory over Port Vale last Saturday before being replaced in the second half by Ayman Benarous, who then had to be substituted in the closing stages.
It was feared that Benarous had suffered a hamstring injury but he has been given the all clear to be available for selection for the game against Northampton Town at Home Park on Saturday.
Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley said: “Brendan played really well at left-back last week so the news on Ayman Benarous, knowing that Brendan will most likely go away (with Zimbabwe), was huge for us.
“Let’s hope we keep Ayman fit because Jack MacKenzie has obviously had real issues and if Ayman wasn’t fit we would be scratching our heads for a left-back.
“We expect Brendan to be called up. When that will be, we are in communication with the federation. The date that he’s expected to be there, we have a game the day after.
“I know clubs are in conversations about those things. We are hoping Brendan can play the Wycombe game and then join the squad as expected.”
Galloway made his seventh appearance for Zimbabwe when they lost 3-1 to Algeria in a friendly international played in Saudi Arabia a fortnight ago, as part of their preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Cleverley added: “The eighth (of December) is the official date, and we play Wycombe the day after, so we are hoping that common sense will prevail and we will have him for that game.”
Zimbabwe will play the first of their three Group B games at the Africa Cup of Nations against Egypt in Agadir on December 22.
The Warriors will then take on Angola on Boxing Day and South Africa on December 29, with those two matches taking place in Marrakesh.
If, as expected, Galloway is called up by Zimbabwe he will definitely miss four Argyle league games – at home to Rotherham United on December 13, away to Doncaster Rovers on December 20, and at home to Reading on Boxing Day and Wycombe on December 29.