Chronicle Editor
Tadious Manyepo in JOHANNESBURG, South Africa
TAWANDA Maswanhise is still in a celebratory mood. His team Leicester City secured promotion back into the English Premier League at the first time of asking last month.
The 21-year-old will be hoping to make a breakthrough in one of the most competitive leagues in the world especially after playing 10 games and getting three goals for the team in the recently-ended season.
While he joined several parties held to celebrate their elevation back in England, Maswanhise still wants some more.
He hardly knows a Shona or Ndebele word but he makes it a point to join in the songs which the Warriors are singing daily as they prepare for their 2026 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho at Orlando Stadium tomorrow.
Maswanhise looks very much in love with the songs and he is constantly asking the team’s “choir masters” Godknows Murwira and Tino Kadewere to sing.
“I am in love with our Zimbabwean songs. Their meanings are very deep and you get to feel them as they get into your veins,” said Maswanhise.
“I am very happy to join in and each time we sing, I feel the motivation and inspiration. It’s very interesting, you don’t like them to come to an end.”
The songs seem to be driving the winger more and he is looking sharp at training.
He could take up the left-wing role in tomorrow’s encounter with his silkiness easily outstanding during training sessions.
Maswanhise, who has always been unavailable whenever called for national duty, will be looking to make his bow for the Warriors tomorrow especially after being given extremely limited minutes during the team’s Four Nations tournament in Malawi three months ago.
He told Zimpapers Sport yesterday that he will be out to show what he can do and help Zimbabwe overcome Lesotho.Maswanhise said the Orlando Stadium pitch could help him especially given that he thrives on speed as the conditions in South Africa are fairly good without any rain.
“I just hope to bring sharpness into the Warriors fold if picked to play. I see the team is very tactical and I’m gonna bring the tactical side of my game as well. I have had to adjust to tough playing conditions and it’s very easy for me to adjust here in Africa.
“I know the match against Lesotho, being a World Cup qualifier, will be a very big game. We need to be focused and just play the way we have been training,” he said.
“It’s raining in England and the pitch is always gonna be wet. You know the ball skids more and I am hoping these fair conditions here remain like that and I get to play my normal game.
“I have adjusted fairly well in trying to fit into the squad. The players have been very welcoming.”The Warriors held their third training session at Wits University yesterday and today they will have a feel of the match venue.
They were boosted by the return of Teenage Hadebe who had gone to sign a contract with a United States team. But Tawanda Chirewa did not take part in the work-out as he had flown back to Zimbabwe to collect his passport.
He was expected back in South Africa late yesterday and he should be ready to play in the match against Lesotho tomorrow given he has been training with the rest of the team all along.
Walter Musona was down with a flue bout and was excused but he is also expected to be part of the proceedings today. Zimbabwe will play South Africa at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein next Tuesday in their match-day four of the qualifiers.”
Online Reporter