Matabeleland football team

The Matabeleland football team is the team representing Matabeleland, the western part of Zimbabwe. They are not affiliated with FIFA or CAF, and therefore cannot compete for the FIFA World Cup or the Africa Cup of Nations.[1][2][3] The Team is affiliated to the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (ConIFA).

Matabeleland
Nickname(s)Ingqungqulu
AssociationMatabeleland Football Confederacy
ConfederationConIFA
World Unity Football Alliance
Head coachGiuseppe Cristaldi
CaptainPraise Ndlovu
Most capsKhulekani Maziwa
Oscar George (24)
Top scorerSawusani Mudimba
Mduduzi Mpofu (13)
Home stadiumVarious Stadiums
First colours
First international
 Padania 6–1 Matabeleland
(Sutton, United Kingdom; 31 May 2018)
Biggest win
 Tuvalu 1–3 Matabeleland
(Haringey, United Kingdom; 3 June 2018)
Biggest defeat
 Padania 6–1 Matabeleland
(Sutton, United Kingdom; 31 May 2018)
ConIFA World Football Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2018)
Best result13th, 2018

History

The Team is run by Matabeleland Football Confederacy which is itself administered by the Save Matabeleland Coalition.[4] Matabeleland Football Confederacy is an Independent Football Association promoting football in Matabeleland. The Confederacy is open to all clubs and soccer associations in Matabeleland provided they subscribe to the Constitution of MFC. Its objectives being development through sport, Soccer for human rights Community Development. Career grooming and exposure. International Representation. The Confederacy was founded in 2016 by Busani Sibindi who is its President. The Technical Director who is also a Co-founder is Busani Khanye.

The team were originally scheduled to play their first official friendly against Darfur on 10 December 2017, however travel problems led to the game being cancelled. Nevertheless, because of results in unofficial games against club sides, Matabeleland still gathered enough points to qualify for the 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup in London.

Conifa World Football Cup Participation

Matabeleland have played in the 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup qualification. Matabeleland participated in its maiden major Tournament,[5] the CONIFA World Football Cup to be held in London from 31 May to 10 June 2018. As part of the promotion for the tournament, sponsors Paddy Power launched a competition to design the kit Matabeleland will wear during the competition.[6] With English coach Justin Walley at the helm, it was previously announced that former Liverpool great Bruce Grobbelaar would work as goalkeeping coach while Halifax Town and current Zimbabwe international Cliff Moyo would appear for the side. However, when the final squad was announced, Moyo did not appear.

At the tournament, Matabeleland experienced a testing first game, losing 6–1 to Padania, while Thabiso Ndlela scored their first competitive goal. A final game victory over Tuvalu delivered a record 3–1 win with Shylock Ndlovu scoring a brace, pitting them against Algerian region Kabylia in the first placement round. Despite a strong performance, the Matabeleland side fell 4–3 on penalties. However, boosted by the appearance of Zimbabwean legend Bruce Grobbelaar, two 1–0 victories followed against Chagos Islands (replacing the expelled Ellan Vannin) and Tamil Eelam as the African team eventually finished 13th in the overall tournament rankings.

At the end of the tournament, English coach Justin Walley stepped down as manager, while the MFC announced the formation of a women's team[7] and participation in the 2018 Human Rights Cup.[8]

International record

At CONIFA World Football Cup

YearPositionPWDLGFGA
ConIFA World Football Cup
2014Not a CONIFA Member
2016Did not qualify
201813th5212512
Total5212512

Current squad

The following players were called up to the 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup. Caps and goals correct as of 30 May 2018.

Note: While ConIFA accepts unofficial games as caps, Matabeleland's first officially recognised game was 31 May 2018 against  Padania.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Thandazani Mdlongwa (1988-01-08) 8 January 1988 18 0 Victory United
29 1GK Notice Dube (1988-11-26) 26 November 1988 7 0 Makomo FC
13 1GK Bruce Sithole (1991-04-07) 7 April 1991 1 0 Unattached
96 1GK Bruce Grobbelaar (1957-10-06) 6 October 1957 0 0 Retired

4 2DF Khulekani Maziwa (1988-09-15) 15 September 1988 24 7 Unattached
12 2DF Sipho Mlalazi (1991-09-14) 14 September 1991 20 9 Unattached
14 2DF Praise Ndlovu (captain) (1993-07-12) 12 July 1993 20 0 Unattached
6 2DF Mthulisi Mbizo (1994-09-24) 24 September 1994 17 1 Lupane State
2 2DF Michael Sibindi (1992-09-13) 13 September 1992 9 0 Unattached
15 2DF Mthulusi Dube (1995-09-08) 8 September 1995 3 0 Unattached

10 3MF Oscar George (1996-01-07) 7 January 1996 24 6 Unattached
7 3MF Andisiwe Sibindi (1986-06-14) 14 June 1986 19 1 Unattached
17 3MF Thomas Nkomo (1989-09-25) 25 September 1989 18 5 Unattached
3 3MF Bekithemba Moyo (1987-04-25) 25 April 1987 16 11 Unattached
8 3MF Sawusani Mudimba (1997-05-12) 12 May 1997 10 13 FMSA Umguza
11 3MF Romeo Sibanda (1990-04-01) 1 April 1990 4 0 Unattached
5 3MF Godwin Ndlovu (1988-12-11) 11 December 1988 3 0 Unattached
16 3MF Musa Sthamburi

22 4FW Mduduzi Mpofu (1996-09-30) 30 September 1996 23 13 Victory United
21 4FW Professor Tshuma (1990-04-27) 27 April 1990 23 10 Unattached
18 4FW Shylock Ndlovu (1990-03-08) 8 March 1990 10 8 Unattached
19 4FW Thabiso Ndlela (1996-09-10) 10 September 1996 8 7 Unattached
20 4FW Dumenkosini Ndlovu (1996-08-01) 1 August 1996 7 3 CIWU

References

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