Vusumuzi Dube
Bruce Chikuni in PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa.
WARRIORS’ interim coach, Jairosi Tapera, says his technical team might have made a wrong assumption when they informed him that forward, Michael Tapera, picked up his second yellow card of the tournament when they defeated Zambia 2-0 last Sunday in the COSAFA Group B fixture at Wolfson Stadium.
Michael has been dropped from the Warriors’ starting lineup that will face guests, Kenya, today at 12 pm.
Nothing short of a point will likely cost the Warriors a slot in the tournament’s semi-finals.
Warriors are leading the Group with six points, but Comoros and Kenya also have a chance to finish with the same points should Tapera’s men stumble today.
Tapera told reporters yesterday during a press conference that he was preparing for the match against Kenya without Michael, who has scored twice in two matches, due to suspension.
He said he is still skeptical about the situation as they are yet to receive confirmation from COSAFA regarding Michael’s issue.
Tapera further argued that he thought his player might have been mistakenly booked for someone else’s offence when he received the information from his backroom team leading him to drop the speedy winger from today’s starting lineup.
Today’s Warriors’ first XI
Rapheal Pitisi, Emmanuel Jalai, Farai Banda, Malvin Hativagoni, Godknows Murwira, Richard
Hachiro, Kingsley Mureremba, McKinnon Mushore, Denzel Mapuwa, Panashe Mutimbanyoka, Takunda Benhura
Bongani Ndlovu