Battle of Bamako

– has declared his troops ready for the Battle of Bamako, despite the odds being staked against them.
The Warriors face the Eagles of Mali in a Group A qualifier at the Stade May 26 tomorrow night (Kick-off 9pm Zimbabwean time).
Mapeza has seen his first two attempts end in draws against Liberia (1-1) away and a goalless deadlock against Cape Verde at the National Sports Stadium.
Although they are unbeaten so far in this campaign, those two draws have left the Warriors lying third in Group A and two points behind surprise leaders Cape Verde who will face bottom-of-the-table Liberia in Praia later on Sunday.
Group A seeds Mali are second with three points, having lost their opening game against Cape Verde away before roaring back into contention with a home win over Liberia.
Mapeza has been preaching a gospel based on the significance of tomorrow night’s big battle ever since his char-ges regrouped in Harare on Sunday night.
Yesterday, he once again told the players on the seriousness of the assignment and what is at stake for them in their bid to be among the 16 teams that will be at the 2012 Nations Cup jamboree co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Mapeza’s men are seeking to avoid defeat and with Mali having a reputation of rarely losing at home, even a draw could still suffice for the Warriors.
The Warriors, who arrived here on Wednesday, have been treated well by their hosts and are only left to focus on their game without much distractions.
Yesterday, the team trained at the Mokibo Keita Stadium in the morning and then had another session at the same venue in the afternoon and after those workouts, their coach expressed satisfaction and reckoned that his team was quickly taking shape.
“The training was okay. We are just working on the sha-pe of the team in the morning and I think we are making progress,” Mapeza said.
He used the morning session to loosen up the players who had been given a day off on Wednesday following long hours of travel.
But it got down to more intense business during the afternoon workout.
“In the afternoon, the training was more on the team formation. We are looking at all aspects of the game like defending, the midfield and the attacking.
“So we have to look at all departments and work on the combinations. It now needs more about working on the team.
“I think we should be getting a positive result and the players know what this means,” said Mapeza.
From the training, it would appear Mapeza will opt to throw Al Hilal striker Edward Sadomba and Mamelodi Sundowns’ Nyasha Mushekwi in attack.
Skipper Method Mwanjali, who has played in the heart of defence since this campaign started, would have to switch to the right back position following the injuries to Cyprus-based Noel Kaseke and CAPS United” Gilbert Mapemba.
Mwanjali is a utility player who is equally at home anywhere in defence as he is in midfield and the former CAPS United man has also often found himself operating at right back for Sundowns.
Mapeza would also have to make do with Belgian-based Vusa Nyoni at left back due to the non-availability of regular defender Onismor Bhasera because of injury.
The Warriors coach had contemplated recalling Zhaimu Jambo, but the Kaizer Chiefs left back is also sidelined by injury and that means Mapeza would have to juggle with Nyoni’s experience and Gunners’ Qadr Amini.
After having to deal with the anguish that comes with losing key players because of injuries, Mapeza was plea-sed that there were no further casualties after yesterday’s training sessions.
That has helped keep his selection options wide open.
All the players took part in both training sessions and Mapeza was also happy that the heat was more bearable.
“At least the weather was not as hot today unlike when we arrived. It was better,” he said.
Temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius on Wednesday afternoon but lowered to around 36 degrees yesterday.
The Warriors are set to train at the Mokibo Keita Stadium this morning before having a feel of the match venue later in the night.
A sizeable crowd of Malian supporters came to watch the Warriors at training and many of them seemed to be more familiar with former captain Benjani Mwaruwari and kept asking whether the Blackburn Rovers forward had made the travelling party. Benjani has however, since called time on his Warriors career with the match against Cape Verde having been his last.
While the Warriors continued with their preparations, Mali’s coach Allain Giresse has also been taking a cautious approach.
Giresse, who has called some of his French-based stars for the game, is also upbeat of their chances of winning.
The Eagles’ coach is counting on the form of Cedric Ka-nte, Gara Dekembe, Sigmany Diara and Kakifu Cisse who are in the squad.
Team skipper Mohamed Diara is however, mindful of a possible upset from the Warriors and insisted the Zimbabweans should not be taken lightly.