Chronicle Editor
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STUNG by their huge defeat to Eswatini, Zimbabwe’s home-based Warriors, have decided to continue with their camp in Francistown, Botswana until tomorrow.
The Warriors suffered 3-0 first leg, loss at Obed Itani Chilume stadium in Francistown.
They will continue with their camp in Botswana until tomorrow as they prepare for the return leg of the Chan preliminary round qualifying match against Eswatini at Mbombela stadium in South Africa.
Coach, Takesure Chiragwi and his youthful charges continued with their drills in Francistown yesterday, as they seek to overturn the huge deficit. They would need to score at least four goals without reply to get a straight passage to the next qualifying round.
Zifa spokesperson, Mike Madoda yesterday said the team will only leave Francistown for South Africa tomorrow.
“Warriors are in Francistown until Thursday afternoon whereupon they’ll travel to South Africa for the return leg against Eswatini at Mombela on Saturday.
“The match will kick off at 6pm,” he said.
No changes have been made to the Zimbabwe side comprising national Under-20 and Under-23 players and a mix of few veterans.
CAPS United skipper Godknows Murwira is leading the team that will also count on the experience of Donovan Benard, Obriel Chirinda and Brian Banda.
In the 3-0 defeat, Chiragwi gave senior team debuts to some of the young players that include Yadah’s Blessed Ndereki and Anotidaishe Gwatidzo, CAPS United winger Junior Bunjira, Herentals’ Zibusiso Ruguchu and midfielder MacKinnon Mushore of Highlanders.
Chiragwi could tinker with the team for the reverse tie on Saturday and give a run in to some of his unused substitutes from last Sunday’s game.
Despite some murmurs of criticism in from some quarters, Zifa said the decision to select a largely youthful squad was based on development thrust.
Eswatini are using virtually the same players for all competitions that include the Afcon and World Cup qualifiers, Chiragwi’s greenhorns will not have it easy either in the second leg.
Chiragwi was defiant yesterday in an interview with the Zifa media.
“Obviously we know the task in our hands. We need to score goals for us to remain in the competition.
“Even though we don’t want to give the players pressure. We need to understand the objective of the tournament.”
On their part Eswatini are a side desperate to end a two-year jinx at their adopted home ground in South Africa.
They have only won once in 11 matches at Mbombela with that solitary victory coming on March 27, 2022, when they triumphed 2-1 over Somalia.
Since then, it has been a barren spell.
Out of the subsequent 10 matches, Sihlangu have drawn two and lost the rest.
But they will be buoyed by the first leg win as they hope to go all the way and qualify for the Chan finals for the first time.
The winner between Zimbabwe and Eswatini will face Madagascar in the second round qualifier scheduled for between December 20-22 and December 27-29 for a spot in the Chan main tournament, set to be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from February 1-28 next year.
Online Reporter