June will be a hectic period for the Zimbabwe senior national team, who will host Guinea in Harare on June 3 in their opening Group match of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers before travelling to Mozambique the following weekend. The Rahman Gumbo-coached side will then play Burundi in a 2013 African Cup of Nations first round, second leg qualifier in Harare on June 24 - hoping for better fortunes after suffering a 2-1 defeat in the first leg early this year. With the Ethics Committee yet to finalise its investigations into the scandal, Gumbo's selection options have been limited by the unavailability of a number of key players.
_quote Besides Khama Billiat, Willard Katsande and Oscar Machapa - who are among the group of 30 players recently cleared of any wrongdoing by the Committee - the likes of Mamelodi Sundowns striker Nyasha Mushekwi, Thomas Sweswe, Jimmy Jambo and Cuthbert Malajila will not be considered for the match against Guinea. They are also unlikely to feature against Mozambique or Burundi - a development that will see Gumbo being judged on results achieved using a second-string side. And, according to retired Judge Ahmed Ebrahim (who heads the Ethics Committee), there are no guarantees that the probe will be wrapped up this year. "It's a very expensive exercise, it's time consuming...Until we complete our investigations, we will not be rushed into things. Everything has to be done properly," Ebrahim says in a statement. Zimbabwe are yet to feature in a World Cup. The Warriors last played in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2006, two years after having made their debut appearance at the continental showpiece.
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