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Tadious Manyepo, Sports Reporter
VETERAN Warriors goalkeeper Washington Arubi says Zimbabwe can give themselves a huge lift by keeping it tight at the back in their 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Namibia at Orlando Stadium this evening.
The 6pm kick-off tie will be the second game inside four days as they bid to pick the ticket to the final tournament in Morocco next year. Victory in today’s encounter will leave the Warriors’ qualification from Group J which also has Kenya and Cameroon firmly in their own hands.
Coach Michael Nees believes the pressure is on the Namibians.
“It’s the same match, we won the first and of course, Namibia must now go all out to keep their qualification hopes alive.
“We played against them, we know how they play.
“We have two, three knocks and it’s normal when you play twice inside four days but I am confident everybody is fit.
“We have to be very alert in defence because they are very fast, very dynamic but if we can manage that, I am very confident that we can also create opportunities to score, and yes, we will see how we do it tomorrow (today).
“Four, five days are enough to shade the fatigue off. Fatigue is not an excuse in the second game.
“The time was enough to recover, ” said Nees.
Nees’ charges were not at their best last Thursday despite being able to squeeze a result.
It is at the back that the Warriors showed their mastery, getting an answer to every question asked by the Brave Warriors.
Arubi was at the centre of the process showing just how experience can carry the day for the national team.
The Marumo Gallants ‘keeper is keen to keep yet another clean sheet and help Zimbabwe move closer to qualifying for the final tournament in Morocco next year.
Thousands of Zimbabweans are expected to flock into the stadium where the cheapest ticket is going for R50.
“It was a good outing (against Namibia) although we didn’t play the way we would have wanted. At the end of the day, we managed to get three points away from home. “The guys are prepared for the next match so that we can get the three points again,” said Arubi.
“We are just waiting for the game and looking forward to winning so that we can give ourselves a huge advantage.
“We have analysed ourselves a lot and did the same for the opponents (Namibia). “We have seen where we must improve because we also believe that is their key weapon. “At the end of the day, we just have to do what we must do and try to manage the game so that we don’t concede. You know the more we don’t concede the higher our chances of winning the game. If you score a goal and then close the gates at the back, you will win the game.”
The former Dynamos man called upon fans to cheer them on at the Orlando Pirates home.
“We are just calling on the fans to come and rally behind us and motivate us.
“If we can have a full capacity, we will create the right ambience and get an advantage over them,” he added.
Online Reporter