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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Acting Sports Editor
ZIMBABWE are banking on a higher authority ahead of the African Nations Championship (Chan) finals in South Africa which get underway next week.“We’re putting everything to God and with Him willing, we’re sure to do well. We stand guided by the will of God and our strength comes from Him,” said Warriors manager Shariff Mussa yesterday.
The 23-member Warriors squad – made up of players from the domestic league – leaves for Johannesburg this morning. The Chan finals roar into life from January 11 to February 2.
Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Andrew Langa, who has been hands on with the Warriors, said the whole nation was behind the team. “I want to say bon voyage to the boys. We will be with them physically and in spirit as they do battle in South Africa.
“As they fly out on Monday (today), I want them to know that we will do everything in our power to make sure they succeed and I call upon every Zimbabwean to wish the boys well while those in South Africa are urged to go to the stadium whenever the boys are playing,” said Minister Langa, who is expected to be in South Africa for the Warriors’ opening game against Morocco on January 12.
This afternoon, the team is expected to have a light training session. Tomorrow, they are scheduled to play Gabon in an international friendly which has been postponed numerous times.
They will then fly out to their base in Cape Town. The Warriors are in Group B together with Uganda, Burkina Faso and Morocco and will be using Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.
Their second match will be on January 16 against Uganda with the last match pitting them against Burkina Faso four days later.
Warriors manager Mussa is confident of a successful tournament.
“The boys are raring to go, we are going there to do as best as we can and that is going all the way to the winners’ podium,” said Mussa.
He called on the corporate world and individuals to come on board to motivate the boys financially. The government has already pledged $88,000 to the Warriors.
Mussa could not hide his disappointment over the failure to have high profile friendly matches after previously agreed matches were cancelled, including yesterday’s date with champions Dynamos.
“I’m not particularly pleased by our failure to have friendly matches. We’d have wanted to have as many high profile games as possible but unfortunately that was not to be,” said Mussa.
Zimbabwe have only had one friendly match against Mozambique where they won 2-1 at Barbourfields Stadium but they have been in camp for more than four weeks now.
The African Nations Championship was first played in 2009. The creation of the event was a response to the desire to strengthen national leagues weakened by a mass exodus of top players who leave their home countries to play for foreign teams.
The tournament features only players who ply their trade in the domestic leagues from all the six Caf zones on the continent. With regional qualifying in the zones – North Zone, Zone West A, Zone West B, Central Zone, Central-East Zone and Southern Zone – it ensures that all of Africa is represented.
The finals were first was staged in Cote d’Ivoire in 2009 and were won by DR Congo, who defeated Ghana. The second tournament was played in Sudan in 2011, when Tunisia beat Angola in the deciding match.
Warriors Final Squad
Goalkeepers: George Chigova (Dynamos), Munyaradzi Diya (Highlanders), Tafadzwa Dube (Caps United)
Defenders: Augustine Mbara (Dynamos), Hardlife Zvirekwi (Caps United), Oscar Machapa (Dynamos), Felix Chindungwe (Chicken Inn), Themba Ndlovu (Dynamos), Erick Chipeta (Hwange), Patson Jaure (Dynamos, captain)
Midfielders: Milton Ncube (Highlanders), Pasca Manhanga (Triangle), Peter Moyo (Highlanders) Danny Phiri (Chicken Inn), Tawanda Muparati (Dynamos), Masimba Mambare (Highlanders), Ali Sadiki (FC Platinum), Kudakwashe Mahachi (Chicken Inn)
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