Africa Cup of Nations Cup record
Previous appearances in finals: (4) 2004, 2006, 2017, 2019
Best performance: Group phase
Drawn in Group B with Guinea, Malawi and Senegal.
Coach: Norman Mapeza
Mapeza was appointed caretaker coach midway through Zimbabwe’s abortive World Cup qualifying campaign in September and then asked to stay on for the Cup of Nations finals.
The former international defender, who was one of his country’s best footballing exports including a spell at Galatasaray, has already had three previous stints in charge of the national team.
He has won the league title in Zimbabwe twice and will return to the helm of Platinum FC when the tournament in Cameroon is completed.
Key player: Tino Kadewere. Age: 25. Forward.
Last season, 10 goals for Olympique Lyonnais in Ligue 1 confirmed the goalscoring reputation the Harare-born attacker had developed playing at Le Havre in Ligue 2.
He was feited among the best African footballers in the French league but looks to have lost his way this season through injury and a loss of form.
The Cup of Nations presents a chance for the goal poacher to revive his reputation, after getting only 20 minutes of game time at the last edition in Egypt in 2019.
FIFA world ranking Dec 2021: 121
How they qualified: Runners-up in Group H, behind Algeria but ahead of Zambia and Botswana.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Martin Mapisa (FC Zamora), Petros Mhari (FC Platinum), Talbert Shumba (Free State Stars)
Defenders: Onismor Bhasera (SuperSport United), Takudzwa Chimwemwe (Nkana), Teenage Hadebe (Houston Dynamo), Bruce Kangwa (Azam), Alec Mudimu (Torpedo Kutaisi), Peter Muduwa (Highlanders), Godknows Muriwa (Dynamos), Gerald Takwara (Venda Football Academy), Jordan Zemura (Bournemouth)
Midfielders: Kundai Benyu (Vestri Isafjordur), Thabani Kamusoko (Zesco United), Kelvin Madzongwe (FC Platinum), Kudakwashe Mahachi (SuperSport United), Never Tigere (Azam), Ishmael Wadi (JDR Stars)
Forwards: Prince Dube (Azam), Tino Kadewere (Olympique Lyonnais), David Moyo (Hamilton Academical), Admiral Muskwe (Luton Town), Knowledge Musona (Al Tai).
