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IAN Gorowa’s unbeaten run as the Warriors coach will be put under a severe test when Zimbabwe plunge into a hastily-arranged international friendly against Tanzania in Dar-es-Salaam this evening.
Zimbabwe readily jumped at the chance to play the Taifa Stars after Kenya pulled out of the proposed match set for the National Stadium in Dar-es-Salaam.
Kick-off is 5pm.
Kenya had earlier on agreed to play their East African neighbours but then cancelled the match at the request of their coaches, leaving Tanzania to find a willing stop-gap opponent in the Warriors.
The first batch of the Warriors left early yesterday morning aboard Kenyan Airways while the other players left around mid-morning and linked up with South Africa based-players — Tapiwa Kapini and Carrington Nyadombo — for the game in Tanzania.
According to reports from Dar-es-Salaam, the Kenyan Football Federation chief executive, Michael Esakwa, advised their counterparts that they were not ready for the game and 24 hours later, Zimbabwe jumped at the offer.
Some of the foreign-based Kenyan players like David Ochieng, David Oliech, Jamal Mohammed, Victor Wanyama (Southampton) and Norway-based goalkeeper Arnold Origi had already arrived in Nairobi to prepare for the friendly.
Acting Tanzania Football Federation secretary-general, Boniface Wambura, said they were disappointed after Kenya derailed their plans but were happy that Zimbabwe had saved their situation .
“We are, however, glad to announce that Taifa Stars will host the Warriors from Zimbabwe on Tuesday (today) — a Fifa date which is important when it comes to Fifa World Rankings.”
Tanzania, who are ranked 129 in the world and 37 in Africa, are under coach Tim Poulsen.
Poulsen will be using the game to fine-tune his side ahead of the Cecafa Senior Challenge set for Kenya next week.
Gorowa’s first game in charge was a 3-0 victory over Mauritius in the CHAN qualifiers in Curepipe before they wobbled to a 1-1 draw at Rufaro.
The Warriors struggled to a 0-0 draw against Zambia in the next round at home but defied the odds to beat Chipolopolo in Ndola 1-0 in the reverse fixture.
The Warriors struggled to a 1-1 draw against Mozambique in a dead rubber World Cup qualifier at Rufaro before a sensational 2-1 victory over South Africa in an international friendly in Johannesburg. As it stands, Gorowa has never won a home game with the Warriors as coach and will be hoping to turn a new leaf when they host Mozambique at Barbourfields on December 8 after the coach condemned the state of the artificial surface at Rufaro.
Mkhuphali Masuku, who is unattached, will assist Gorowa on the bench as Callisto Pasuwa and Jairos Tapera remained behind because of commitments while Zifa board member for development John Phiri is the head of delegation.
Squad
Tafadzwa Dube, Ocean Mushure, Warren Dube, Felix Chindungwe,Simba Sithole, Tapuwa Kapini, Obey Mwerehari, Themba Ndlovu, Patson Jaure, Wonder Kapinda, Nkosana Siwela, Isaac Masame, Kudakwashe Mahachi, Mischeck Mburayi, Carrington Nyadombo, Lot Chiungwa, Gerald Ndlovu, Simba Sithole
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