When the last edition of AFCON started in January 2024, Maswanhise was still an academy player at Leicester City.
He struggled to break into the first team, though, and said in August 2024 that he felt “ready to make an impact” at Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership. Sixteen months on, those words are prophetic.
Primarily a striker who can also operate as an inverted winger off the left, Maswanhise has netted 14 league goals, including one penalty, and proven to be the league’s most clinical finisher.
The 23-year-old featured in four of Zimbabwe’s six AFCON qualifying matches, starting twice, as they finished second behind Cameroon to qualify for just their sixth appearance at the tournament.
Having to play underdog football should make Maswanhise’s profile even more valuable. He plays off either wing for Zimbabwe, is gifted with natural pace and is not reluctant to shoot from distance, particularly when cutting in from the left.
His striker tendencies are developing too, finding a knack for drifting into back-post positions to score headed goals. Crucially, he’s netted the match-winning goal for Motherwell five times.
Zimbabwe will hope he can replicate that knack at AFCON. He is on the bench today.