By Anesu Chakanetsa

THE dogs must not be changed for the next hunting expedition.
This seems to be the best way to describe Zimbabwe men national soccer team coach Kalisto Pasuwa’s approach when it comes to the selection of players to accomplish national duty at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Gabon early next year.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that December 30 2016 will be the deadline of submissions of team sheets.
Twenty-three players will feature in the team and soccer fanatics have already made their team sheets.
And it looks like the gaffer will continue with the lads that have consistently delivered.
Pasuwa has been consistent in picking up the same crop of players for his qualification campaign.
However, the most heated topic has been about the national goalkeeper.
While there has been an ongoing debate about who should stand between the posts for the troops, Pasuwa has remained adamant and protective of the Dynamos first choice Tatenda Mukuruva.
Mukuruva took part in five of the qualification games in which the team only lost one match.
He only conceded three goals, one each in matches against Malawi, Swaziland and Guinea which where all away matches.
He was between the posts in all the matches that the Warriors won an away 1-2 win against Malawi, a 4-0 win against Swaziland and a 3-0 drubbing of Malawi.
He also presided over an away one-all draw against Swaziland and a 0-1 dead rubber defeat to Guinea in Conakry.
But the most important match Mukuruva will be remembered for is an away win to Malawi, which earned him the nickname Malawi.
The goalkeeper was the hero of the day.
The keeper’s exploits in national colours makes him the best man for the job.
The other alternatives are Donovan Benard, but his game time is not impressive and a cause for concern.
How Mine coach Kevin Kaindu usually exchanges Benard with Munyaradzi Dhiya, who has of late become the preferred first choice.
Nelson Chadya of Ngezi Platinum is another top contender for the position between the sticks.
There is also Petros Mhari, the FC Platinum goalkeeper and Premier Soccer League (PSL) goalkeeper of the year.
While many contend he must be considered for his stellar performance at FC Platinum, he is yet to do duty for the national team.
In defence, PSL Soccer Star of the Year Hardlife Zvirekwi, Costa Nhamhoinesu and Onismo Bhasera have become regular starters.
However, many are not sure who will twin Nhamoinesu in central defence.
Dynamos defender Elisha Muroiwa is injured and did not take part in the last two matches of the campaign.
Hwange’s Teenage Hadebe proved during the COSAFA Cup and in a friendly against Tanzania that he can be an alternative.
The other regular call ups are Lawrence Mhlanga, Ronald Pfumbidzai and of late Godknows Murwira of Dynamos.
Former Soccer Star of the Year Danny Phiri is another superb alternative for the central defence, while Andre Gwaze’s trial and error test seems to have failed, because he has not received calls in the last matches of the qualification campaign.
The central link midfield strengthened by Captain Willard Katsande and Marvellous Nakamba looks to remain unchanged.
The attacking midfielders, the fans’ best players, come in the form of Khama Billiat, Kuda Mahachi and Knowledge Musona, who is also used as a striker.
The five forceful strikers who have received regular calls by the coach include Nyasha Mushekwi, Cuthbert Malajila, Tendai Ndoro Evans and Matthew Rusike.
Of the strikers, Cuthbert Malajila is the highest scorer in the qualification with two goals.
Knowledge Musona, an attacking midfielder, is the top goal scorer with four goals.
Zimbabwe will face teams with some of the best African players.
Zimbabwe will begin their campaign with Algeria on Sunday January 15 2017.
Rihyad Mahrez, the Algerian attacking midfielder who was the English Premier League Soccer Star of the Season (2015/16), and a nominee for CAF African Footballer of the Year, is expected to be one of the lethal players at the tournament and will likely take part in the first match against Zimbabwe.
Other great Algerian players include Islam Slimani who also plays alongside Mahrez at Leicetser, Ryad Boudeboz, Yacine Brahimi and Sofiane Feghouli.
Senegal boasts of Sadio Mane, Liverpool’s most important player.
And Tunisia, the 2004 AFCON champion, has a youthful squad with the likes of Aymen Abdennour who plays for Valencia in Spain, Naim Sliti and Yoann Toozgah who plays in French Ligue 1 for Lille OSC and AJ Auxerre respectively.
Zimbabwean players are mostly in low rated leagues, with most of them playing in the South African Premier League.
Former Zimbabwe forward Alois Bunjira expressed confidence with the players at Pasuwa’s disposal.
“It does not make sense to start looking for new players now, when those that led to the team’s qualification are available,” said Bunjira.
“What Pasuwa has done is to reinforce combinations so trying to change them will create confusion which will make the team perform poorly.
“I think we have the crop of players to topple the so-called Mahrezs and Manes) and we don’t have to go out and look for other solutions, we already have them.”
Zimbabwe has two AFCON wins, 2-1 against Algeria in 2004 and 2-1 against Ghana in 2006, which was their last AFCON game.