Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
BUOYANT Zimbabwe senior soccer side touched down in Casablanca, Morocco yesterday carrying a clear vision and fully aware of the expectations back home ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals which gets underway in Rabat on Sunday.
Coach Marian “Mario’’ Marinica flew out of Harare on Tuesday night with a group of 18 players and they were set to link up with their colleagues from Europe, who were officially released from their clubs two days ago.
That means coach Marinica will only get to have a full complement of his AFCON squad for the first time today; four days before Zimbabwe plunge into battle with their first Group B assignment against continental heavyweights Egypt on Monday.
Zimbabweans will also be commemorating National Unity Day when the Warriors face the Pharaohs amid repeated calls by Marinica for the nation to unite in full force behind his charges.
For the Romanian all that matters at this point is the Warriors’ preparedness to take on the continent’s best.
Apart from Egypt, the Warriors must also overcome the strong challenges posed by COSAFA rivals Angola, whom they face in a Boxing Day clash and South Africa three days later.
The Warriors are returning to the Nations Cup for the first time since FIFA lifted a more than year-long suspension of Zimbabwe from the international game.
This has left them as the Group B underdogs owing to their lower ranking.
But for all their low rating, the Warriors are carrying with them a renewed sense of belief and confidence.
Marinica’s recent experience with the Nations Cup could also give the Warriors an extra edge.
At the 2021 AFCON edition that was played in Cameroon a year later than planned due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Marinica led Malawi to the Round of 16, for what was the Flames’ first time to edge past the group hurdle.
They even did that in style after clipping second place in a group from which they were the underdogs with West African giants Senegal, Guinea and Zimbabwe as their opponents.
Marinica has been trying to implement his philosophy, which is based on sheer speed and relentless attacking over the past three weeks, during which the squad has been in camp in Harare.
Now he has just three or so days to fine-tune everything including getting the other players, who were not part of the three-week camp in Harare, to gel into his system.
While he acknowledges that the philosophy can take some time before it gets into full throttle, Marinica is happy his men now have an idea, which can be ideal enough to start the campaign rolling.
“Well, obviously, it’s a little bit of a challenge, sometimes it takes time, but in order to think fast, act fast, move fast, be all prepared and organised, we have to have a clear strategy and get players to understand exactly their roles and responsibilities in the match.
“Also, we need to make sure that the players understand exactly what they need to do in certain areas so that tactically and technically, it becomes easier for them to physically apply and mentally concentrate, and socially, meaning that to work as a group at any time, on the pitch, off the pitch, and at the same time, whatever challenges arise, we need to stay together and to work together. So far, we are on a very, very good track,’’ Marinica said.
He is also the first foreign coach to take charge of Zimbabwe at the continental football show-piece.
Marinica hailed the ground that was covered by his predecessor, German Michael Nees, while admitting the tough task the Warriors are facing in Group B.
“I think it’s (Group B) probably one of the toughest groups, you know, the toughest group, but however, you see, I always say to people, when you qualify for something, you go there with your own chances, so we have to make the most of our chances, you know, thank you to the previous coach, Michael Nees and everyone else, you know, players that actually, for example, put their effort to help us, you know, to help the country get there.
“Now we have to fight for them, we have to fight for everyone in the country to make sure that we don’t go there to participate, we go there to win, and if we don’t go there to win, it’s, you know, it’s nonsense to take part in a competition just to go there to participate.
“Obviously, sometimes it may not be possible, but that’s actually our aim, to give, you know, everything we have to make the most of every single match.”
Zimbabwe’s duel with Egypt on Monday will be the third time that the two nations have met at the same level since 2004 when the Warriors took their Nations Cup bow in Tunisia.
Marinica can fancy his chances as he is presiding over a team that is well motivated after ZIFA made sure everyone got their rewards.
Of course, the Warriors have also been hamstrung by injuries to key players.
They will be missing two of their regular players, Jordan Zemura and Marshal Munetsi who suffered injuries while playing for their clubs last week.
Munetsi, who also missed the 2021 edition of the biennial jamboree in Cameroon due to an injury tried in vain to arm-twist the coach to include him in the AFCON squad causing a social media storm in the process.
