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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
WARRIORS coach Norman Mapeza believes four points will be enough to get his side into the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations finals that is underway in Cameroon.
The top two teams from each group will automatically reach the knockout stages together with the four highest ranked third-placed teams.
Zimbabwe are in group B and they lost their opening group game to Senegal and will be hoping for better fortunes when they face Malawi on Friday.
“We are just going to work on our conversion rate. I think we did a lot in the final third where we had some good opportunities. We also had some opportunities on set pieces. I’m proud of my boys. We worked so hard. Our minds are now on the game against Malawi where we need to give our all so that we can get maximum points because I think if we can manage to get four points, we will get to the round of 16. That is where much of our focus will be against Malawi,” Mapeza said.
Speaking about the Senegal game Mapeza said: “Credit goes to my boys. I think we played very well. Nobody gave us a chance against a quality team like Senegal. If you look at the names in their squad, most of their guys are playing for top European clubs. I think we had some moments where we controlled the game. Luck wasn’t on our side. Credit to my boys, I think they worked their socks off. Now we focus on our next game against Malawi.”
“Unfortunately, we have a 23-man squad. I should give credit to those guys I selected against Senegal. We have got guys who came from Europe and they only joined the squad with five days to go, but the rest of those guys (trained together) for about 10 days. So, I don’t think I made any wrong decision in selecting those guys who started today. I don’t think they did well,” said Mapeza. – @innocentskizoe
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