dyton mupawaenda
Tadious Manyepo in POLOKWANE
THIS is it BOYS!
It’s now or never for us in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
The worst case scenario is for us to avoid defeat against Kenya at the Peter Mokaba Stadium here this evening.
The match kicks-off at 6pm.
The best case scenario is for us to win this game and qualify in style.
If the Warriors lose today then they will have to beat Cameroon in their backyard.
The Warriors didn’t have the best of preparations due to waterlogging on their training pitch.
But coach Michael Nees isn’t looking at the downside of things.
“It’s a decisive game for Kenya and it’s an important game for us because we are in a good position. But you know what football can be.
“You can only plan and work on a good performance. And, with a good performance, you can have a good result.
“At the beginning, our preparations were hampered by some rains but not too much.”
He added:
“The ground, where we trained, took a lot of water so we couldn’t train. But the team is in very good spirits, confident but not over confident, I think we can look ahead with a lot of positivity.
“We have so much respect for the opponents, our objective is to qualify. That is our objective. Kenya is a very good team and we certainly know that.
“Their confidence is a little bit shaky now because of the two defeats to Cameroon. Nevertheless, they remain a good team and we are aware of that.”
Nees said his decision to have the game moved to Polokwane from Orlando Stadium was more to do with the pitch conditions.
“I think the pitch (at Orlando) was a little bit bumpy, control was a bit difficult.
“And, we then decided to move here and seeing the condition of this pitch, I think we made the right choice.”
The New Peter Mokaba Stadium generally evokes good memories for Zimbabwe who won the COSAFA CUP here the last time they were in this city.
Some of the players, who were part of that team like Khama Billiat, Marvelous Nakamba, Devine Lunga, Teenage Hadebe and Martial Munetsi, are still around.
Meanwhile, a Zimbabwean education entity with a solid presence in South Africa, Taalnet Group of Schools, have backed the Warriors and have committed to bring more than 50 students from Johannesburg to rally the team.
School founder Justine Magidi said he was happy to see the Warriors in such a good space.
“I think we should all be proud of the national team and we will be sending our children to sing and rally behind them when they face Kenya.
“We need to make them feel at home and we hope to continue supporting them even beyond the game against the Harambee Stars.”
Probable Warriors line-up
Washington Arubi, Godknows Murwira, Gerald Takwara, Jordan Zemura, Munashe Garan’anga, Marshal Munetsi, Andy Rinomhota, Marvelous Nakamba, Khama Billiat, Walter Musona, Terrence Dzvukamanja
Online Reporter