admin
Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
WARRIORS coach, Norman Mapeza, says the team has no time to lick the wounds inflicted by their 0-1 defeat to South Africa on Thursday night.
They are now set to complete their poor 2022 World Cup campaign with a final game against Ethiopia at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow.
The match will start at 3pm.
Zimbabwe are facing the embarrassment of finishing the group qualifiers without a victory and Mapeza is pulling all the stops to psyche his boys for the task.
“Obviously, the game against South Africa is water under the bridge now although we can still sit down and reflect on the several positives we have picked,” said Mapeza.
“It is a game that we can look back at and realise we could have won but that’s a game of football.
“We don’t have much time to look back at it now as we have an immediate task against Ethiopia this Sunday.”
He said it’s a match the Warriors should try and win, not just to repair their battered reputation, but to also get confidence, as they up their preparations for the 2021 AFCON finals next year.
“Obviously, it’s a game of football, it’s always tough,’’ he said.
“But, this game against Ethiopia is somewhat a must-win for us.
“Our reputation, as a team, is at stake. We need to play with our hearts, try to use home advantage and win the match.
“As I said, ahead of the match against South Africa, we also have the AFCON finals in mind, as we get down to business in this match.
“We are preparing all the players with potential to be in the team for the AFCON finals. We should build their confidence going forward.’’
Mapeza said there was a lot at stake in the match against the East Africans, who held the Black Stars of Ghana to a 1-1 draw, in Johannesburg, on Thursday.
“There is everything to fight for in this match against Ethiopia and we should treat it with the importance it deserves,’’ the coach said.
“We are already out of contention but we cannot afford to relax when we play Ethiopia.
“We need to fix up some things, beat Ethiopia and who knows, maybe with a bigger margin, and we will finish strongly.”
Mapeza is likely to give the players who didn’t play against South Africa a chance to prove themselves against Ethiopia.
It’s the last international match set for the National Sports Stadium, which will be banned immediately after tomorrow’s game, until the venue is upgraded.
Goalkeeper Petros Mhari had a good game between the posts against Bafana Bafana despite conceding a goal at the FNB Stadium.
But, Mapeza is likely to also give a chance to either Taimon Mvula or Donovan Bernard, in tomorrow’s game.
Germany-based Jonah Fabisch could finally get his chance while teenager Bill Antonio, who came in six minutes from time against Bafana Bafana, might be given a starting slot.
Godknows Murwira, Peter Muduwa, Devine Lunga and Thabani Kamusoko are some of the players who didn’t see action against South Africa and could play a part tomorrow.
Alec Mudimu, who was suspended for the Bafana Bafana clash, also bounces back into the fold.
There was an expectation teenage forward, Tawanda Maswanhise, could make his bow for the Warriors at home tomorrow.
The Leicester City academy sensation was drafted into the squad for the matches against Bafana Bafana and Ethiopia.
However, he could not fly to South Africa because his Zimbabwean passport was still being sorted out.
He is unlikely to be involved tomorrow but Maswanhise might be considered for the 2021 AFCON finals.
Online Reporter