By Zim Sport Live Writer
Zimbabwe will be without their captain Marvelous Nakamba when they resume their World Cup qualification campaign against Benin and Nigeria later this month, after the midfielder was ruled out for the reminder of the season due to injury.
Nakamba, who has also missed large chunks of the season at English Championship side Luton Town with a serious knee issue, started the 2-0 defeat at Watford last Sunday until being replaced at half time.
Luton boss Matt Bloomfield revealed on Friday that Nakamba was set to be out of action for atleast six weeks with a calf injury together with his teamate Shandon Baptiste.
“Shandon (Baptiste) and Marv, both out six weeks. Both got soleus injuries, so we’ll be missing them for a little period of time.”
The gaffer added: “We took Marv off at half time [at Watford] because I felt like he wasn’t moving very well. I didn’t realise he was injured.
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“We were getting overrun. We’ve spoken about that already. About how we need to be quicker. We need to be fitter. We need to be more robust and playing more games regularly. so we’ve had to make three changes to affect the game at half time. and then I found out that he had a tight calf. Then I got told he had a scan and it was six weeks out.”
Nakamba has made 21 league appearances this season after returning from long term knee injury.
He recovered from a long-term knee injury in August last year, but the ailment resurfaced in October, when the Warriors played Namibia in back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Johannesburg.
The Warriors skipper will now miss Zimbabwe’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Benin in Durban and Nigeria in Uyo.
Zimbabwe host Benin on March 22 before travelling to Nigeria.
Warriors coach Michael Nees is expected to announce the squad for the two assignments soon.