Pelembe still going strong

Former Premier Soccer League Player of the Season Elias ‘Dominguez’ Pelembe is continuing his international career with Mozambique at age 40 and has been named among 25 players for this month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

They take on Eswatini in Maputo on October 11 with a return meeting at the Mbombela Stadium three days later.

Mozambique coach Chiquinho Conde welcomed the return of German-born midfielder Alfonso Amade and Clésio Baúque who were absent from the last two qualifiers against Mali and Guinea Bissau last month.

The Mambas opened their Group I campaign with a 1-1 draw away against Mali and then won 2-1 at home to Guinea Bissau.

Mozambique are level at the top of the group with four points, tied with Mali.

A double win over Eswatini will put Mozambique on the cusp of qualification for next year’s finals in Morocco, with the top two teams in each group advancing.

Alfonso Amade is the only player in the squad who does not yet have a club, a fact that meant he requested not to be included last month as he was looking for new employers after his Belgian club Oostende went out of business.

For the first game against Eswatini, Conde will not be able to use midfielder Guima and goalkeeper Ernan Siluane, who will face a one-match suspension due to having received two yellow cards in the two opening rounds of this competition.

SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Ernan Siluane (Black Bulls), Fazito (Ferroviário Nampula), Ivane Urrubal (UD Songo)

Defenders: Bruno Langa (Almeria, Spain), Domingos Macandza (Costa do Sol), David Malembana (Al Kharaitiyat, Qatar), Martinho (Black Bulls), Mexer (Bandirmaspor, Turkey), Nanani (UD Songo), Nene (Black Bulls), Reinildo (Atlético Madrid, Spain),

Midfielders: Aly Abudo (Costa do Sol), Alfonso Amade (unattached), Amadu (Namungo, Tanzania), Dominguez (UD Songo), Guima (Igdir FK, Turkey), Jonathan Muiomo (FV Illertissen, Germany), Pepo (Caldas, Portugal), Shaquille (Sagrada Esperança, Angola), Witi (Dibba Al Hisn, United Arab Emirates)

Forwards: Clésio Baúque (Al Arabi, United Arab Emirates), Elias (Desportivo Nacala), Geny Catamo (Sporting Lisbon, Portugal), Gildo (Académica Coimbra, Portugal), Stanley Ratifo (Chemie Leipzig, Germany).