Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo in FRANCISTOWN, Botswana
WARRIORS coach Marian “Mario” Marinica said yesterday that the national team are in Botswana to have a say on the destiny of the Mukuru Four Nations tournament title.
Zimbabwe face the Zebras in the second of the semi-finals double header at Obed Itani Chilume in Francistown this evening.
The match kicks off at 6pm.
Zambia and Malawi, who are coached by Zimbabwean Kalisto Pasuwa, open the tournament at 3pm at the same venue.
The final is scheduled for Tuesday next week and it will be preceded by a third place play-off by the losing semi-finalists at the same venue.
Tonight will be the first time that the Warriors will be back in action since their participation at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
And Marinica is looking at clipping the hosts in their own den to progress to the final.
It’s such a huge undertaking but Marinica knows how sweet a victory will feel back home for Zimbabeans.
“We have had setbacks in our preparations for this match of course as we saw six of our players who we had chosen withdrawing from the squad due to injuries.
“But that won’t affect us in a big way. We want a win against Botswana,” said Marinica.
“We have prepared well, trying to psyche up the youngsters.
“We played against one of the most supported teams in the country Highlanders in an exhibition.
“That also prepared our players to play in a full stadium and they won’t be intimidated by the home fans here.”
Marinica said the Four Nations tournament is a huge platform for the four countries to improve their standard of football.
“I think it’s a tremendous opportunity and also for Botswana it’s a very good chance to celebrate football like us and also I think that it’s a good time to develop for things that are actually going to come.
“I think probably all four countries are embracing this opportunity to look forward to try to build up and to use this as a platform for building eventually a very successful squad, all four of them,” added Marinica.
“I presume that will apply to all the teams. For us, it definitely does that. We have a little bit of time.
“A little bit of, if you were to say, maybe it could be fortune or misfortune, whatever you want to call it, because we had unfortunately about six players that are injured or in a position to withdraw in the last minute.
“But on the other hand, you could say that some players, we have the opportunity to give them a chance and to try to see what they could do. And we believe that we have a good squad. And we came here to win.”
The Romanian was flanked at the pre-match media conference by skipper Marvelous Nakamba.
“The mood in camp has been fantastic; everyone is pushing each other and also we have new guys in the squad; we welcome them well and they’re adjusting well and as it is with the national team we always try to help each other and push each other,’’ Nakamba said.
“I think this is a perfect opportunity for everyone especially young boys in the national team to embrace the opportunity to give everything.
“It is always good to represent your country and also coming here to Botswana our neighbours and also having Zambia and Malawi I think it’s a good opportunity for all the teams and all the countries who are here and also for us, we are looking at it as a great opportunity for us to continue competing well to continue being competitive in each and every time when we get together as national team’’.
Zebras coach Morena Ramoreboli said his team had a good practice match against a collection of youngsters which helped the hosts to get a good structure.
“We are looking forward to the match against Zimbabwe,” said Ramoreboli.
“We have some players who were at the Africa Cup of Nations in the team. It’s a great opportunity for us to compete in front of home fans.”
Pasuwa’s Flames will be playing a Zambian side composed of only locally-based players as their regular Chipolopolo team is away to Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the South American country.
The Malawi coach knows the significance if having his Flames poish up for the 2027 AFCON quaifiers.
“We have been telling these boys to prepare for Zambia and not to look at it like we are playing a fringe Chipolopolo team.
“We lost the last time out in the Four Nations Cup in Lilongwe and we want to win this time around.
“We have about 14 foreign-based players and most of them play in Zimbabwe while others are based in Mozambique and Germany.
“We are ready to take on Zambia,’ Pasuwa said”
Warriors Probable line-up
Elvis Chipezeze, Munashe Garananga, Gerald Takwara, Godknows Murwira, Emmanuel Jalai, Marvelous Nakamba, Jonah Fabisch, Prosper Padera, Mongameli Tshuma, Bill Antonio, Macauley Bonne
