Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
JORDAN ZEMURA may not be in Morocco for the Africa Cup of Nations but that hasn’t divorced his emotion from the Warriors.
The Udinese star suffered an injury while turning out for his club in the Italian Serie A that effectively ruled him out of the 2025 edition.
He expressed his disappointment at missing out on what could have been a dream second appearance at the jamboree after he made his bow in the 2021 edition (played in 2022) in Cameroon.
Zemura missed Zimbabwe’s first match, a 1-0 defeat to Senegal in Bafoussam due to Covid-19 complications.
He arrived two days before the Warriors’ second match against Malawi, even enduring a five-hour road trip from Yaounde to West Cameroon where Zimbabwe’s group was based.
But then coach Norman Mapeza handed him limited roles, and his impact was never on show as Zimbabwe suffered a knock-out blow, losing 2-1 to Malawi to embarrassingly crash out, with the last match against Guinea reduced to a dead rubber.
Then still turning out for Bournemouth in the English Championship, Zemura would sparkle in the last match to help Zimbabwe secure a 2-1 win over Guinea but that was too little too late.
Now a regular under different coaches including Baltemar Brito, Jairos Tapera and Michael Nees, Zemura was hoping to help Zimbabwe finally progress to the next round at the AFCON.
The Warriors have failed to break the group stage ceiling in five attempts since first qualifying for the fiesta back in 2004.
While still carrying the pain of missing out, Zemura isn’t dispirited.
“I am just wishing our Warriors all the best in Morocco. I am very confident that the boys will hoist our flag high at the AFCON,” said Zemura.
“The squad is quite detailed and balanced as I see it. I am sure they will punch very well at the AFCON. I have played with almost everyone at the fiesta right now, and I know their capabilities. I am sure the boys will do well.”
Zimbabwe open their hunt for the AFCON with a date against former champions Egypt tonight in a 10pm kick-off.
They will then face Angola on Boxing Day before they face South Africa to conclude Group B business on December 29.
With a new coach and a new philosophy, expectations are high this time around that gaffer Marian “Mario” Marinica will drive the Warriors through to the next stage.
Marinica led Malawi to the Round of 16 in 2022, and given the Flames’ status back then, the former Liberia gaffer got some huge credit.
Given no other coach has ever achieved that feat with Zimbabwe in five previous attempts, he comes in with a different profile. Zemura added: “I think we have all the ingredients in place to organise a decent meal as a team.
“I do believe that the squad has everything in place. We have the experience and the determination right in the same room. I know we can combine this and have a formidable show starting with the match against Egypt.”
Zemura isn’t the only player who was dropped out of the team due to injury with Wolves man Marshal Munetsi being the other victim of a knock in the run-up to the squad announcement.
