adminEddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE international midfielder Silas Songani believes the Warriors have the quality to make a big impact at the African Nations Championship in South Africa next year.
The Harare City midfielder, who is expected to play a key role in the Warriors campaign following a brilliant season on the domestic front, has tipped the team to go beyond the group stages at the tournament.
Songani, who could count himself unlucky to miss this Year’s Soccer Star of the Year accolade, was rewarded by his club on Friday when he was crowned the Player of the Season at their end-of-year awards ceremony.
Zimbabwe have qualified for the first two editions of the tournament, inaugurated in 2009, and were eliminated in the opening group stage on both occasions.
They will be praying for third time luck after they were placed in Group B where they will face Morocco, Uganda and West Africans Burkina Faso.
“I think it’s not an easy group but we know what we are aiming for and the reason why we are going there. We have to do our best to go as far as reaching the final,” said Songani.
“It’s achievable, considering the crop of players that we have. I believe we have a group of very talented players.
“The coaches are urging us to work harder every day and the spirit in the camp is just amazing.”
The CHAN tournament will get underway on January 11 with Zimbabwe scheduled to open their account the following day against Morocco at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.
Zimbabwe made their debut at the inaugural tournament hosted by Cote d’Ivoire in 2009 under Sunday Chidzambwa and returned home early after drawing all three games against Ghana, DRC and Libya in Group B.
Ghana and the DRC reached the final.
The Warriors also qualified for the 2011 event in Sudan and again finished third in Group B following a run of mixed fortunes which included a 1-0 victory over West Africa giants Ghana and two defeats to South Africa and Niger.
CAPS United goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube and Dynamos striker Simba Sithole are the only survivors in camp from the group that participated in the last edition when Madinda Ndlovu was coach.
However, there has been an air of confidence in the camp with the arrival Ian Gorowa who has had a decent run since his appointment to lead the side.
The Warriors have been in camp for the past week and they got their preparations off the ground with intensive physical exercises. The players were given rest at the weekend and will continue with their routines this week while taking a brief break for the Christmas holiday.
Songani said he has enjoyed working under Gorowa for the one week they have been in camp and is hopeful of making the travelling squad when the coach trims his team down to 22 next week.
There are 27 players currently in camp with Highlanders’ Peter Moyo and Misheck Mburayi of Triangle expected to join this week from South Africa where they were on trials.
Team manager Shariff Mussa said the Warriors will continue with their physical conditioning and will intensify their preparations next week.
“We just started camp and I think it’s still early days. We will continue with our daily routines again this week and then we intensify as the tournament draw closer. We need another 10 days or so of thorough preparations,” he said.
CHAN squad:
Goalkeepers: George Chigova, Maxwell Nyamupangedengu, Tafadzwa Dube, Munyaradzi Diya
Defenders: Oscar Machapa, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Augustine Mbara, Themba Ndlovu, Partson Jaure, Eric Chipeta, Felix Chindungwe
Midfielders: Danny Phiri, Pascal Manhanga, Frankson Bushire, Wonder Kapinda, Charles Sibanda, Tawanda Muparati, Silas Songani, Masimba Mambare, Kuda Mahachi, Ali Sadiki, Peter Moyo
Strikers: Simba Sithole (Dynamos), Simba Sithole (How Mine), Lot Chiwunga, Misheck Mburayi.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter