HARARE – Zimbabwe winger Kudakwashe Mahachi missed Zimbabwe’s friendly match with Malawi on Sunday after testing positive for Covid-19, reports said Monday.

Zimbabwe drew 0-0 in Blantyre after preparations hampered by poor planning by ZIFA.

Machachi was one of the players who got a late call-up to the national team.

The Herald, citing sources, said Mahachi got the shock results after taking a mandatory test which must be taken within a 72-hour window before travel.

The Supersport winger has been advised to self-isolate for 14 days.

Zimbabwe’s new coach Zdravko Logarušić got a first look at his team before the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

He took a make-shift squad to Malawi after most of the players that he had requested to come for the international friendly match could not be cleared by their foreign clubs for various reasons.

“I’m happy with the result because we just had one training session together. I think five of the players did not train with the team. They just came in from different areas,” said Logarusic.

“This is good for me for as long as we don’t get injuries. Secondly, it allowed me to see some things about our team and thirdly Malawi surprised me because they are much stronger than I expected.”

The Warriors missed several key players and Kaizer Chiefs forward Khama Billiat was handed the arm-band in the absence of captain Knowledge Musona.

Billiat, Teenage Hadebe, Devine Lunga, Alec Mudimu and Aston Villa holding midfielder Marvelous Nakamba were the only regular Warriors players that started the game.

Logarusic used 16 players in the match, handing generous game-time to the likes of Tanaka Chinyahara, who showed some glimpses with his simple passing game, Takudzwa Chimwemwe of ambitious Zambian side Buildcon and Dynamos’ new signing King Nadolo.

Logarusic has not made it a secret that he would have wanted to assess the likes of Musona, Marshall Munetsi, Tino Kadewere, Tendayi Darikwa, Adam Chicksen, Jordan Zemura, Victor Kamhuka, Macauley Bonne, Kundai Benyu, Prince Dube and goalkeeper Martin Mapisa, but he is now likely to see them when they come back home for the back-to-back AFCON qualifier against Algeria next month.

TEAMS

Malawi: E. Kakhobwe, S. Sanudi, C. Petro, P. Cholopi, P. Sambani, C. Chirwa (C. Kaira, 60th min), C. Idana (G. Phiri, 69th min), Y. Chester, S. Kuwali (M. Mhone, 85th min), J. Banda, G. Mhango (A. Maliselo, 90th min)

Zimbabwe: T. Shumba, M. Phiri (K. Nadolo, 46th Min), D. Lunga, A. Mudimu (J. Dzingai, 76th min), T. Hadebe, T. Chimwemwe, M, Nakamba, T. Chinyahara (W. Taderera), T. Rusike, C. Mashumba (E. Katema, 46th min), K. Billiat (I. Nekati, 88th min)