Zimbabwe, Sudan appoint new head coaches

CGTN

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A Zimbabwe fan during the African Cup of Nations match between Egypt and Zimbabwe at the Cairo International Stadium in Cairo, Egypt. /Getty Images

Croatian Zdravko Logarusic has been appointed the head coach Zimbabwe national men's football team, the country's football association announced.

Logarusic signed a two-year contract and replaces Sunday Chidzambga who resigned after the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Joey Antipas, who was interim head coach, will revert to his role as assistant.

The Croat, who had been on a sabbatical since his contract as Sudan's head coach ended in December last year, has had managerial spells in Angola, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania.

Logarusic was appointed Sudan's coach in December 2017 but his contract was not extended in December last year after just one game of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Sudan finished third at the 2018 African Nations championship (CHAN) and also advanced to the group stage of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers under him.

His first two games will be against AFCON champions Algeria in the 2021 AFCON qualifiers in March.

The Brave Warriors have so far recorded one win and a draw from their two qualifiers, against Zambia and Botswana.

Last year in September, Zimbabwe was on the wrong end of a result when Somalia, then ranked 202nd, stunned them 1-0 in Djibouti to win its first ever World Cup qualifying match.

Meanwhile, Sudan also announced that Frenchman Hubert Velud will be the new head coach of the men's national team.

Velud replaces Croatia'sZdravko Logarusic whose contract was not renewed in December 2019.

Velud has previously managed the Togolese national team and several African clubs, includingAlgerian club JS Kabylie, whom he left after just seven months in charge. Other clubs he has managed are Algeria's USM Alger, DR Congo'sTP Mazembe and Tunisia's Etoile du Sahel.

His first game in charge will be away to Ghana's Black Stars in March.

Source(s): BBC