Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ESROM Nyandoro believes the Warriors’ AFCON campaign in Morocco could hinge on one familiar figure − Kaitano Tembo.
Nyandoro says Kaitano’s experience and understanding of both Zimbabwean football and the South African Premiership gives the Warriors an edge at a crucial moment.
“Kaitano has played at that level, he has an appreciation of Zimbabwe football.
“That will help the new Zimbabwe coach as Kaitano even knows some of the players from the South African Premiership.
“Some of the players, for instance the South African sides, he watches them regularly in South Africa, that is a big plus for the team.
“The new coach (Marian Marinica) should tap on that from Kaitano.”
Zimbabwe have been drawn alongside Angola, South Africa and Egypt, a familiar but demanding group.
The top two teams will advance to the knockout rounds.
Four teams, who finish third, will also join them.
The Warriors have never progressed beyond the group stage and have often found themselves in unforgiving draws.
Their maiden AFCON appearance in Tunisia in 2002 placed them in a group with Cameroon, Egypt and Algeria.
Nyandoro knows that stage well.
He scored one of the goals of the tournament in Zimbabwe’s 5-3 loss to Cameroon in and later served as a pundit for SuperSport during the last edition of the competition.
Asked about Zimbabwe’s chances of progressing, Nyandoro said the door remains open, just as it is for many teams heading to Morocco.
“These tournaments are intriguing, they are hard to predict, you have to be resilient as a team, resolute in your desire to conquer and write history.
“So my message to the boys is clear, they must go out and do well, the rest will take care of itself, if they win and draw they will be somewhere.”
He said history offers little protection or punishment at tournaments of this nature.
For him, Morocco represents a clean slate and a chance for a new generation of Warriors to change the narrative.
“It’s their opportunity, they must grab it with both hands and be the team to take Zimbabwe to the next round.
“Yes, we have played Egypt, Angola and South Africa, a couple of times, let us not allow previous statistics to fool us.
“We are going to a new tournament where we are expected to do better and I believe the chance is there.
‘It may not be easy, everyone out there wants to win and proceed. It looks an open tournament in most groups and any result can be achieved.
“There could be shocks exits from what I have observed in the past.”
