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Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter
JORDAN ZEMURA chose his eighth and ninth appearances for the Warriors to finally spring to life.
The Udinese star had all along been an average boy with loads of potential to give Zimbabwe a new dimension.
And the potential is now fully blown following his five-star acts when Zimbabwe beat Namibia in back-to-back Group J 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at Orlando Stadium in South Africa.
Michael Nees’ men dispatched the Brave Warriors 1-0 in their initial outing last Thursday in a match played behind closed doors at the insistence of the Namibia Football Association, who were the hosts.
Khama Billiat found the winner for Zimbabwe from the penalty spot in the first meeting.
When the fans were allowed back, they seemed to have inspired the Warriors on Monday night, as Nees’ men exhibited their clout, trampling on their opponents 3-1 with Walter Musona getting a brace while Prince Dube added the third.
It is Zemura, though, who starred across the two legs and showed just how much he has matured and picked experience from playing in the English Premier League and the Italian Serie A over the past three years.
Zemura was restricted to a place on the bench in Zimbabwe’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against South Africa in Free State in June.
During that period, the former Bournemouth man was starting to look more like a fringe international.
But Nees seems to be getting the best out of his set of skills and energy across the field.
Yet Zemura was not the best of the lot when Nees started his reign in identical goalless draws against Kenya and Cameroon last month but he was certainly consistent across both matches.
Last Thursday he was at his menacing best, intact at the back and dangerous in attack.
Four days earlier had helped the Warriors secure their win.
It was from one of his relentless forays inside the Namibia box that he was fouled to win the penalty that was bundled home by Billiat in the first meeting.
He was back, swashbuckling with so much bravado and flamboyance in the second leg which Zimbabwe thoroughly deserved to win and were full value for the 3-1 triumph.
With the Warriors getting the opener through Musona’s exquisite goal, Zemura was playing with so much hunger and will-power down the left channel where he was deployed.
Zimbabwe were looking for that insurance goal in the face of a Namibian outfit seeking to salvage a horrible campaign.
And Zemura was on hand, slicing past the opponents and unleashing a powerful, goal-bound effort that was illegally blocked by a Namibian defender’s hand.
Musona took the responsibility to tuck the penalty home before Prince Dube doused ensured the Warriors were in form control of the tie.
Again, the assist came from Zemura’s forays into the attacking third from where he clipped a perfect cross that was expertly put away by Dube.
He had already done enough to secure a man of the Match showing.
“I am really happy to have contributed something to my country’s victory over Namibia in both games,” said Zemura.
“The first game felt different and difficult playing with so much fatigue and without fans. Fans are the ones who push players to do well.
“Nevertheless we put in the work and managed to grind a result. And the second game was better in so many ways,” said Zemura.
“I love the vibe and the fans play a huge role. My teammates gave it their all and we are very happy as a team to have managed to win both games against Namibia. It means a lot and the goal is to seal our qualification and start preparing for Morocco.”
Nees is showing that he is a believer in talent and he is certainly getting the best not only from Zemura but from the rest of the crew who have vastly shown improvement in so many ways.
Online Reporter