We accept stadium decision: Mapeza

Liberia to the National Sports Stadium even if he might have preferred to have the game at Rufaro.
The Warriors date the Lone Star on September 4 in a big 2012 Nations Cup qualifier, which they have to win at all costs, to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the continental showpiece.

The Zifa board met last Friday in the capital and agreed to stage the match at the giant facility.
However, the decision has sparked debate among the fans with some favouring Rufaro, which is a convenient location for the fans.
Mapeza said they were ready to play the match at National Sports Stadium because the Zifa board’s decision overruled their preference.

“We gave Zifa our recommendations as the technical team on why we wanted to have the match at Rufaro,” said Mapeza.
“For the past two games we have been using Rufaro so the players are now used to playing there and we have been getting the results there while our opponents have been struggling on our artificial turf.

“Rufaro is also very intimidating to the visitors because the fans would be close to us.
“They (Zifa) gave us their reasons that they had problems with the crowd at the Mali game so the National Sports is spacious and has security.
“And, also, it is the last match at home and they have to cash in on it.

“But at the end of the day Zifa has to decide and we have accepted we will play there because there is nothing that can be done.”
Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters’ Association leader Eddie “Mboma” Nyatanga welcomed the decision to switch the venue of the match to the giant stadium.
“We wrote to Zifa after the Mali game that Rufaro is too small and it seems they have considered that,” said Nyatanga.

“We also understand Zifa’s plight (in terms of finances) but everyone knows that supporters are the ordinary people in the street and a lot of them cannot afford to part with US$5 for the cheapest ticket.

“There is the Harare Agricultural Show going on and schools would be opening soon and the supporters have to fork out money for all of this.
“It’s a tricky situation but you can understand where Zifa are coming from and, hopefully, it will all work out because we need a capacity crowd at the National Sports Stadium.
“Our message to the fans is that let’s all go there and support our boys because this is our big chance and, although it will be difficult for a lot of us to raise the entry fees, we need a capacity crowd.

“The idea of going to the National Sports Stadium is a brilliant one. We went to Liberia and they use their national stadium and it was filled to capacity, so why don’t we do the same?”
But Warriors’ fan Brighton Bvuure said he was worried that the Cape Verde ghost could come back and haunt the Warriors.
“Everyone knows that our team does not display their best football at the National Sports Stadium and that was the case in the game against Cape Verde,” he said.