Football: African Nations Cup 2008 group four qualifier-Zialor will be missed |14 June 2007

With spectators getting free entrance into the stadium, it is expected that the home crowd will be behind The Pirates just like when they played Tunisia and lost 0-3.

With only one win against Mauritius at Stad Linite for three points in the qualifiers, a victory would be most welcome from The Pirates and it will be a big boost for the team who have been experiencing a bad spell of late with four defeats in as many matches.

Saturday’s game will go as far as proving how well The Pirates can handle pressure and if they can deliver before their fans who expect a lot from them.

Congolese coach Raoul Shungu, who opted to play Che Dorasamy and Yelvanny Rose upfront in the 0-4 away loss to Tunisia earlier this month, will be relying on the wingers to bring their contributions to the team’s attacking play.

Not included in the squad for the second consecutive match, Philip Zialor, who is known for his accurate passing from midfield, will surely be missed.

Sports Nation gathered that Zialor has been left out of the team for being unfit and does not run a lot. If this is true, how is it that Frenchman Zinedine Zidane was a world class and World Cup winner when he too didn’t run a lot?

Those types of players are dangerous with the ball at their feet and Zialor being a good header of the ball is also dangerous at set plays.

Coach Shungu noted that three players have been ear-marked to take on the play-making responsibility and he has to choose either Achille Henriette, Colin Laporte or Bernard St Ange for Saturday’s game.

Of the three players, only Laporte played against Tunisia when he came on as a late substitute for Dorasamy.

Two players who could have well been included in the squad and who could have made a difference are Alpha Baldé and Don Anacoura.

Coach Shungu was quick to note that Anacoura had been called up to the squad but has had to drop out because he picked up an injury when his club side St Michel played Northern Dynamo last Sunday.

As for skilful striker Baldé, who is also a good dribbler and can deliver pin-point passes, coach Shungu explained that he has not been keen on making a comeback to the squad even after being approached by the team’s management.

With striker Wilnes Brutus still out with a broken leg, coach Shungu will also be without injured left wing-backs Allen Larue and Jones Joubert.

The players training with the squad for Saturday’s match are Mervin Mathiot, Trevor Poiret, Henny Dufresne, Steve Henriette, Alex Nibourette, Godfrey Denis, Lorenzo Mathiot, Jonathan Bibi, Ronny Hoareau, Denis Barbé, Denis Belle, Ted Esther, Nigel Freminot, Achille Henriette, Colin Laporte, Bernard St Ange, Nelson Sopha, Eugene Valentin, Yelvanny Rose, Che Dorasamy and Ricky Rose.

G. G.