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Mozambican national soccer team to face Gabon for World Cup 2018

Xinhua, November 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Mozambican national soccer team, the Mambas, is to take on Gabon on Wednesday next week in the capital, Maputo, in the first leg of the second round of playoffs for World Cup tournament to be held in Russia in 2018.

   It will be a do-or-die encounter for Mozambique, which was beaten by Zambia last week for the qualification to the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN 2016) in Rwanda.

   This failure led to the sacking of the Mozambican coach for the Mambas, Mano Mano, who was replaced by a Croatian Boris Pusic.

   Pusic was contracted by the Mozambican Football Federation (FMF) only to prepare the Mozambican national team for the Wednesday game to be played at the Zimpeto national stadium, on the outskirts of Maputo.

   According to local media, the national team is starting training on Wednesday at the Liga Desportiva stadium on the outskirts of Maputo province. 

   Pusic is to work with local players only, before those who play abroad will arrive in the Mozambican capital soon.

   Those who are playing abroad are expected in Maputo on Sunday and Monday, because they have games this coming weekend. 

   They are Dominguez, Bidvest Wits, Mexer, Rennes, Zainadine Júnior, who play for the Nacional of Madeira in Portugal, while Clesio plays his first game for Benfica of Portugal as well.

   The referee for the Mozambique and Gabon encounter, whose name was not mentioned, will be coming from the Seychelles. The game will take place in the evening at 19pm local time, according to the secretary general of the FMF, Filipe Johane.  Endi