daniel chigunwe
Tadious Manyepo in JOHANNESBURG, South Africa
THE passionate ululation and whistling that greet the Warriors each time their bus passes through the streets of Johannesburg has had a significant impact on the players.
They are here for a critical assignment, a double-header 2026 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho and South Africa.
The home game against Lesotho, which will be staged at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Friday, could have been played in Harare or Bulawayo. Still, no venues are fit to host international games, as per the Confederation of African Football (CAF) requirements.
And there is always a prize to pay for hosting home games away from home, including loneliness on the part of players.
But whoever settled for the Orlando Stadium, perched in South Africa’s commercial capital, struck gold for the Warriors squad.
The venue is also the home of newly crowned Nedbank champions and Soweto giants, Orlando Pirates.
The Warriors might be physically preparing for a home-away-from-home game against Lesotho. Still, there is always this feeling that they will be home, thanks to the support they are receiving from Zimbabweans in business and ordinary fans.
Defender Munashe Garananga believes that the huge Zimbabwean community in South Africa could be handy when they face the Crocodiles on Friday afternoon and South Africa next Tuesday at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.
“It is a good thing that we have a lot of Zimbabweans in South Africa,” Garananga said.
“We saw them at the airport (when they welcomed the team on Monday), in the streets and everywhere.
“They are making us feel very much at home.
“Hopefully, they will be behind us in these two games.
“We are in South Africa but feel at home because of a large Zimbabwean community in South Africa.”
The Belgium-based defender, who could earn a starting berth in coach Jairos Tapera’s line-up against Lesotho, said he was keen to play a key role in helping Zimbabwe win the upcoming two games.
“I am not going to say the expectations are high for me or anything, I am just excited to be here.
“It’s something that I have been looking forward to since I moved to Belgium,’’ he said.
“Just coming and representing the country in this crucial stage of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers is something I don’t take for granted.
“I want to play a huge role, if picked, in helping my country win the matches.
“I am very excited to be here. Zimbabwe has a lot of quality, so being chosen to be part of the team means a lot to me. I am keen to play my part and possibly write a good historical piece for my country.
“We are here to defend our flag and nothing else. That’s what we are all hoping for.’’
He said the operating environment was very conducive and nothing could stop Zimbabwe from getting the points against Lesotho and South Africa.
“So far so good, in the camp. Everything is going well and everyone is motivated to give their all.
“We are gelling well as a team. Everyone is just keen to go and we are happy with the spirit in the camp. We are all united and it will be easy to stop our opponents.”
Zimbabwe have two points in as many matches.
But with Rwanda, who are leading Group C, only on four points after playing the same number of games, Tapera and men will know that getting the maximum points against Lesotho and South Africa could boost their qualification bid.
Nigeria and Benin are the other teams in the same pool from which only winners will progress to the 2026 World Cup to be jointly staged by Canada, Mexico,and the United States.
And for the Warriors, the only way to repay the South African contingent of their fans, is to ensure they emerge with something out of their two assignments and that task starts with a cagey affair against a Lesotho outfit that did well to also hold Nigeria in their Group C qualification opener and will certainly not be mere pushovers.
Online Reporter