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Tadious Manyepo, Sports Reporter
WARRIORS vice captain Marshal Munetsi expects Zimbabwe to revert to their usual passing-football style when they face off against Namibia in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier for the second time in four days at Orlando Stadium in South Africa this evening.
The match kicks-off at 6pm.
Zimbabwe will be eager to pick another set of maximum points and move closer to qualifying for the final tournament scheduled for Morocco next year.
Michael Nees’ men beat Namibia in the first of the back-to-back clash against their Southern Africa rivals at the same venue last Thursday in a match played without spectators at the insistence of the Brave Warriors who were the hosts.
With five points under their belt, the Warriors are second in Group J which is being led by Cameroon who have seven points to their name.
Third-placed Kenya, on four points and Cameroon will cancel out each other at the Mandela National Stadium in Uganda in the second instalment of their back-to-back clashes at 3pm this afternoon.
Regardless of what happens in that fixture, Zimbabwe, who are the home team, will look to win their match before an anticipated capacity crowd at the Soweto ground.
Yet there have been lingering doubts about their capabilities given how they grind the result last Thursday.
The team couldn’t match the fluidity with which they played in their opening two games against Kenya and Cameroon in Uganda last month.
They huffed and puffed to hold on to their 1-0 advantage given via a 34th-minute penalty conversion by Khama Billiat.
Munetsi cited fatigue as the main factor that worked against their passing game in the face of a relentlessly attacking team that could however, fail to breach the Warrior’s defensive wall.
And the Reims star believes the Warriors will play with both conviction and swag today.
“I think getting the three points was the most crucial thing. I think we have been doing very well. The progress has been there.
“We knew that we needed to win the first game by all means necessary. Namibia tried to play some mind games, having us play without supporters and having the game played on a Thursday,” said Munetsi.
“Most of our international guys arrived on Tuesday and Wednesday (last week) and I think fatigue also played a role in that match. We were happy to have the three points and we are looking forward to the match on Monday (today) were we will have our supporters and we will be fresher than on Thursday.”
The former Orlando Pirates man is playing in familiar territory having called the Bucs facility home for more than a year before he went to France.
And he has reassured the nation that the freshened-up Warriors will put in a better outing with an emphasis on getting the three points which will take them into a good space to lay claim to qualification as one of the best two teams in the four-team pool.
“The confidence has always been there. I think the way we played in our first two results we got in Uganda gave us confidence and we also knew that Kenya and Cameroon would cancel out each other,” added Munetsi.
“We had to do our utmost best in this double-header but we knew Namibia are never pushovers. Even if you check on statistics, they are not an easy team to play against Zimbabwe.
“I think we must take the six points. We played in an empty stadium and we would like to see some nice faces cheering us on (this evening).”
Online Reporter