:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70360165/usa_today_16830191.0.jpg)
2022 will have a ton of soccer, it seems more then ever due to many tournaments getting pushed to further dates because of COVID-19. A tournament that will see action a year after its original scheduled dates will be the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. The Zimbabwe national football team and Dynamo center back Teenage Hadebe will feature in the competition.
The Warriors will be featured in the tournament’s Group B and will face Senegal, Guinea, and Malawi. This will be Teenage’s third call up to the Africa Cup of Nations and Zimbabwe’s fifth overall appearance in this Confederation of African Football event. Hadebe played in all three group stage matches in 2019 and was on Zimbabwe’s roster for the 2017 tournament, but did not make an appearance.
Hadebe has been capped 32 times by his national team since 2014 and has four international goals. The 26 year old is coming off his first season in MLS after being signed as a Designated Player from Yeni Malatyaspor in June. He started all 17 of his appearances in 2021 for the Dynamo.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23145226/usa_today_16965081.jpg)
Teenage will attempt to be a defensive force and help Zimbabwe make it out of the group stage for the first time in their history and perhaps make a deep run in the tournament. They will face talented players, however, with the likes of Naby Keita (Guinea), Gabadihno Mhango (Malawi), and Sadio Mane (Senegal) in their group. This will surely make the task at hand a difficult one to conquer.
The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations will be played in Cameroon and will take place from January 9 to February 6, 2022. The matches will be available via beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz, fubo TV, Sling World Sports, Sling Latino, and Vidgo.
Here are the fixtures that will feature Teenage Hadebe and Zimbabwe:
Monday, January 10 – Senegal vs Zimbabwe at 7:00 AM Central
Friday, January 14 – Malawi vs Zimbabwe at 10:00 AM Central
Tuesday, January 18 – Zimbabwe vs Guinea at 10:00 AM Central
Will Houston Dynamo’s Teenage Hadebe and Zimbabwe make a historic run and make the knockout stage? Do you follow the Africa Cup of Nations? Let us know in the comments.