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Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE coach Ian “Dibango” Gorowa says his players have shown the right body language in camp this week to make him believe they could write a success story in Zambia tomorrow when they play their final Chan qualifier in Ndola.Gorowa takes his Warriors to their second away assignment, under his tutelage, after he began his journey in charge of the team with a 3-0 win in Mauritius only to see the Indian Ocean part-timers steal a draw at Rufaro in the reverse fixture.
Then, last Sunday, he watched his Warriors struggle to impose themselves, in their backyard, as they were held to a goalless draw by Zambia in the first leg of the final Chan qualifier, which swung the balance of power in favour of Chipolopolo.
But with the match having ended goalless, it means there is still that window of hope provided by an away goal, which will heap the pressure on the Zambians, and Gorowa said his boys have been doing their preparations with the right body language.
The Warriors are scheduled to leave this morning, on a chartered Air Zimbabwe flight, straight to Ndola ahead of their showdown against the hosts at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium tomorrow.
“The players’ attitude has been the right one, they have been positive and they have shown a lot of confidence and that’s what, as a coach, I want to see in my players,” Gorowa told our Harare Bureau on the eve of their departure.
“I have been looking at their body language and I have to say that I am very happy with what I have been seeing and it gives me some confidence going forward.
“You want a squad that believes that they can make it and that’s the feeling in our camp right now and I’m pretty sure that the boys will give it their best shot.”
Gorowa said football was not a predictable game and if Orlando Pirates could go to Egypt and defeat mighty Al Ahly, what should stop the Warriors from going to Zambia and making their mission a successful one.
Yesterday he sent his troops into a battle against domestic champions Dynamos and saw them romp to a 4-1 win and Gorowa knows that getting just one of those goals in Ndola could provide the key to their success story in Zambia.
Newboy Donald “Dombo” Ngoma was among the goal-scorers and Gorowa said the FC Platinum forward has impressed him with his pace and workrate.
“He is going to Zambia, he is a good player and we can use him,” said Gorowa, who is taking 20 players on this mission.
Scoring has been a problem for them, since they fired three goals in that game against Mauritius, and a change in personnel could help their cause with Ngoma offering the option.
There are still chances that skipper Masimba Mambare could fail to play in Zambia tomorrow as he struggled to shake off his injury.
“It’s 50-50 for Masimba, he might or he might not play,” said Gorowa after his captain played in the practice match against DeMbare but limped out complaining of the same injury.
“He played well in the match but he is doubtful.
“I’m also concerned a bit about Oscar (Machapa). He is not really showing me what I want from him or what I expect from a player of his calibre.
“I’m not sure what is going on with him, whether it’s the transition of adjusting to coming back to play here or something personal, but he is not doing what I want and expect from him because he can do far better.”
Machapa, Kuda Mahachi and Harare City’s Silas Songani will not make the trip to Zambia.
Warriors’ midfielder Peter Moyo has also challenged his teammates to stand up and be counted in Ndola tomorrow.
“I can be seen as the team’s playmaker but anyone in the team should make an impact. Just because we are eleven, everyone should be able to try and get a goal at any given chance.
“This is the national team and we should play our hearts out to qualify for the finals,” said Moyo.
During the first leg at Rufaro, fans in the eastern stands ended up booing Milton Ncube while Mambare had a missile directed at him after he failed to complete a pass.
But now that the Warriors are playing away from their hard-to-please fans, there should be less pressure on them, according to Moyo.
“I do not think we are under much pressure but it should be the Zambians who are under pressure. They are playing before their home crowd which should be expectant of a good result from them,” said Moyo.
DeMbare goalkeeper, George Chigova, the best goalminder in the Premiership today in terms of statistics, gatecrashed into the party for the trip.
Moyo believes they have done everything possible to play better in Ndola than they did in Harare.
“I think we are okay, the preparations were fine and we are ready for a good result,” said Moyo.
“We have rectified the mistakes noted from the first leg at Rufaro. Everything should be in order now and we are looking forward to a positive result.
“We created some good chances but the final ball was lacking. I hope we have made some improvements.”
Warriors Final 20
Munyaradzi Diya, Tafadzwa Dube, George Chigova, Patson Jaure, Blessing Chimwamuchere, Masimba Mambare, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Devon Chafa, Danny Phiri, Dominic Chungwa, Felix Chindungwe, Milton Ncube, Tawanda Muparati, Bruce Kangwa, Charles Sibanda, Donald Ngoma, Ali Sadiki, Nelson Maziwisa, Eric Chipeta, Peter Moyo
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