Mambas ready for Warriors

From Lovemore Moyo in JOHANNESBURG, South Africa
Mozambique assistant coach Helder “Mano-Mano” Muianga says they will be using their dead rubber World Cup African Group Zone G qualifier against the Warriors on Sunday as a platform to expose their local players to international football.The locally-based Mambas upset Angola last Saturday in the final qualifier for the African Nations Championships to book their place amongst the 16 countries that will do battle here in January in the jamboree, which pits the continent’s home-based stars.

Following a goalless draw in Maputo a week earlier, Mozambique were written off but with a 1-1 draw away in Benguela, they emerged aggregate winners on away goals rule, with tricky left winger Eiogo scoring for the Mambas.

Buoyed by that rare feat of elbowing out their Portuguese speaking rivals, Mozambique then chose to set base in Johannesburg since Monday instead of heading back to Maputo and will arrive in Harare today, with basically the same team.

The only additions that they have made are that of their inspirational skipper Elias “Dominguez” Pelembe of Mamelodi Sundowns along with Ajax Cape Town new signing Stelio Marcelino ‘Telinho’ Ernesto as they seek to add experience to their cream of local stars which qualified for the CHAN finals for the first time.

Preparations for the CHAN finals is the chorus that the Mozambique technical team has been singing this week, as they went on with sharpening their ammunition from their secret hide-out in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg.

“For us this is a bonus game because we rarely get competitive international games like this one against Zimbabwe where pride is the only thing to play for,” said Mano-Mano, in reference to the status of this particular encounter to be played at Rufaro.

The Mambas have two points — one better than the Warriors — who are at the bottom of the group and this is a tie that will in actual fact only determine who finishes bottom in the group.

“So we will definitely be using this game to try new things and new players especially those with little international experience. Most of the boys who got us to qualify for the CHAN finals need the exposure at this stage because they haven’t played much international football.

“Though we don’t want to give the game to Zimbabwe our ultimate motive is to come out having tested our boys at this stage. In as far as I can remember, we have never won in Zimbabwe so a draw will do us good if I am talking of results,” says Mano-Mano.

The stocky assistant, who spent most of his playing career at South African clubs —  Manning Rangers, Black Leopards and Jomo Cosmos — added that the vibe in the squad is different since Joao Chissano took over after German coach Gert Engels.

Engels ditched the Mambas straight after their 1-6 humiliation by Guinea in June, leaving the Mozambican Football Federation with no option but to appoint a local man in Chissano — who is a relative to former president Joaqium Chissano.

Ironically, the Warriors are also finishing this disastrous qualifying round with a local man, Ian Gorowa at the helm.
“Since Joao took over the vibe in the team has been great and you can see that the boys are playing with confidence.

“The truth is that the boys know us very well and have a lot of respect for us because they can relate to everything that we say to them’’.
While the Warriors — who are also using their local based stars for this match — have spent this week dealing with issues relating to the arrival of players in camp, Mozambique have spent the past two weeks bonding.

The Mambas have been in camp since August 20, which was five days before the first leg of their CHAN qualifier against Angola.
Chissano has been in charge of 10 games since he took over.

“We have been together for the past two weeks and it is for that reason that we have decided to go for continuity by only bringing in these two South African-based players to the team.

“They are coming in to add a bit of experience. However, we feel we are well prepared for this match and that Zimbabwe has been having issues in their camp means nothing to us.

“My experience in international football has taught me that teams that look to be in disarray are the most difficult to break down,” he said.
The Mambas are expected in Harare at midday today aboard a South African Airways flight.