adminqualify for the 2012 Nations Cup finals.
The Undertaker was part of the Warriors who failed to beat Cape Verde, the last time the national team played a Nations Cup game at the giant stadium, and a frustrating afternoon for the players and the fans ended in a goalless draw.
Benjani quit international football shortly afterwards, saying that he believed the time had come for him to give way to the emerging crop of players, and showed his commitment to his national team’s cause by flying from his base in England in June to support the Warriors at Rufaro. Buoyed by the sights and sounds of a full-house Rufaro in full cry, and Benjani cheering from his seat in the VIP Enclosure, the Warriors were full value for their 2-1 win over Mali, which threw them right back into contention for a place at the 2012 Nations Cup finals. Benjani will not be travelling to Harare this time around, preferring to continue working on his fitness at his new base at English Championship side Portsmouth, but told The Herald yesterday that his soul would be with the Warriors when they plunge into battle tomorrow.
“You know I have just switched clubs and I need to work on a number of things related to my fitness and that is what I am concentrating on right now so that I get into the best possible condition,” said Benjani.
“I might not be there in person with the boys on Sunday but my spirit will be with them and I am certain that we can clear this hurdle and put ourselves in a good position to qualify.
“It’s important for us to win this match on Sunday and I’m pretty sure that we will do it because I am confident that we have a very good team that has a number of exciting young players who can make a big difference. But I am not only limiting my focus on this game but also on winning in Cape Verde because the mission is to try and qualify and, with the current crop of players that we have today, there is no reason why we should not dream very big.
“We have worked very hard to push ourselves back into contention and we just can’t let it go like that and we have to fight for the fans who have been backing us and the entire nation that expects us to challenge for the big trophies in world football.”
The former Warriors’ skipper said the fans will play a big role tomorrow.
“If it was my choice, I would have preferred the match to be played at Rufaro because, there, you can feel that the supporters are behind you and the opposition also feels that they are not wanted in that ground and all that has an effect on what happens on the field,” said Benjani.
“I think if we had played at Rufaro, there was no question about winning the match but it’s tricky at the National Sports Stadium where a lot of visiting teams feel like they are on neutral territory.
“It becomes even worse when our young players fail to spark quickly and the fans don’t get behind them.
“My appeal to the fans is that let’s support the boys for the entire 90 minutes, even during the phases of the game when it’s not happening for us, because that’s what football is all about. We have a number of young players and they easily get affected, when they are booed, and they easily get inspired when they feel that the crowd is behind them. So, even if they miss some chances early on, let’s get behind them and I am sure that they will come good and we all saw what happened at Rufaro last time when the supporters went behind the team for the entire match and we scored the winner in the last minute.”
Benjani said the traveling crew of Arsenal fans, who were at Old Trafford on Sunday when their team crashed to a 2-8 humiliation, set new levels of patronage for football teams.
“They set a standard because they were singing throughout the game, even when their team was being hammered, because they were sending a clear message that, no matter what was happening, Arsenal remained their team,” said Benjani.
“That is the kind of support that we want, the fans who will be there for you throughout, in good and bad times.
“If we can give our boys such fantastic support, I am so sure that they will not only win on Sunday but they will even qualify for the finals.”
Benjani feels the absence of Knowledge Musona (injured) and Nyasha Mushekwi (suspended) will be felt by the Warriors but remained confident their teamwork will make up for the absent targetmen.
“It’s a big loss because Knowledge has been scoring goals for us and Nyasha is now experienced and would have filled the big gap but football is about a team and not about individuals,” said Benjani.
“Those who will be asked to replace these two should also rise and be counted and I am sure they will do a good job. We are doing well as a nation, in terms of football, and we have been climbing up the Fifa rankings, so it is important to keep the momentum and that means we have to keep winning.”
Benjani revealed that he had never felt this confident about the Warriors in a very long time.
“Those boys in that team, especially the new guys, are really a handful and I think they can take this team to new levels in terms of success, although that will come with time,” said Benjani.
“They are hungry for success and you can see that they really want to do very well for their country.
“Let’s support them because I think we have a group of players who can really make a big difference in our football.”
Online Reporter