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Augustine Hwata Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Warriors might have surrendered their Cosafa Cup crown to the Zambians but there is a feeling within the team that they are the better side and, as winger Ali Sadiki bluntly put it yesterday, there is nothing special about Chipolopolo. The cream of the home-based players from both sides of the Zambezi clash in the first leg of the final qualifier of the battle for a place at the Chan finals in South Africa next January.
Although the Warriors were beaten 0-2 by Chipolopolo in the final of the Cosafa Cup in Ndola last month but the pundits agreed that they played the better football that day at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium despite surrendering their title.
The goals they conceded that day owed a lot to the stage fright suffered by the Warriors’ goalie Maxwell Nyamupanedengu, whose frailty when it came to dealing with crosses from dead balls was his Achilles Heel.
To many Zimbabweans, there was nothing special about that Zambian victory, a home team had just taken advantage of its home comforts to coast to their win.
After all, they said, the Warriors had also used their home comforts to beat the Zambians in the Cosafa Cup final 3-1 in 2009.
Interestingly, the two-goal winning margin by the home team was the same in 2009 and in 2013.
The Warriors have qualified for the two Chan finals that have been played to date and are chasing a third straight appearance by leaping the hurdle erected by Chipolopolo.
We have always prided ourselves in having the most competitive top-flight league in Southern Africa, even though it remains one of the poorest, and if we are as good as we claim, then we should be proving that by beating teams like Zambia.
Confidence is oozing among the Warriors and, given that they are likely to be backed by a huge crowd attracted by the quality of the opposition, they believe they will give the Zambians a good run for their money.
Sadiki said the Copper Bullets were not the kind of opposition to send shivers down the spines of the opposition.
“We will win this game and nothing is impossible. There is nothing very special about the Zambian national team,” the lively FC Platinum winger said yesterday.
“We got talent and we are prepared for them and we hope to win the game.”
In the last match against Mauritius, Sadiki came in the 75th minute for Peter “Rio” Moyo and breathed life into the Warriors as he initiated the move that resulted in Zimbabwe’s goal.
He received the ball on the left and then waltzed past Chandravah Veeranah and Winny Calambe before squaring to Tawanda Muparati, who then fed skipper Masimba Mambare to drill home from the right in the 85th minute.
“In the last game, I came as a substitute but this is a new game and it’s not certain if I will still have to come from the bench or if I am going to start the game,” said Sadiki.
“The decision rests with the coaches.
“Being in the first 18 will be a privilege for me. We have many players here in Zimbabwe and it’s good if I am getting recognition to be called for the national team.
“In the last game, the coach said, ‘look Ali, I am going to give you a run and I just want you to prove to me that you can play and compete.’
“And I said okay coach I will prove that.
I went into the match trying to make my point that I can compete.
“I think I did well in the game and the coach was impressed because that is the reason why I have been retained in camp, at least.”
Zambia, Sadiki believes, scored bizarre goals during the Cosafa Cup final and the Warriors will be well on guard this time. ‘Keeper Nyamupangedengu was the fall guy and even President Mugabe questioned how he let in those simple shots.
“They beat us in the Cosafa Cup final and they used the set-pieces to get the goals from the two free-kicks,” said Sadiki.
“We have taken note of that and during the game in Zambia we created our Chances but we failed to convert them.
“So, I hope we will create more Chances in this game and score.
“Zambia did not create as many Chances and we should try not to concede free kicks in dangerous areas this time,” he said.
Sadiki is one of the attacking midfielders in the Warriors squad alongside Milton “Milito” Ncube, Mambare, Muparati, Peter Moyo and Silas Songani.
“We are playing at home and we know what the fans want.
“They want us to score first and we have to do that early in the match to get their confidence.
“If we score first, we will get the fans behind us and we will win this match,” said Sadiki.
Warriors coach Gorowa is likely to trust veteran Tafadzwa Dube in goals, even though he conceded a poor goal against Mauritius, while Eric Chipeta and Patson Jaure are likely to marshal the defence.
Gorowa said he does not need to deal with the element of complacency, unlike in the previous game against Mauritius, where Zimbabwe had a healthy 3-0 cushion.
“I think the players are ready. It’s good that we drew 1-1 in the last match against Mauritius because it turned out to be blessing in disguise.
“Obviously, we wanted to win but the players now realise that there are no easy games and worse off we are now playing Zambia.
“So it’s good that everyone is highly motivated,” said Gorowa.
Gorowa said they had analysed recent Warriors matches and tried to work on their shortcomings whilealso working on their strong points.
“We had a video analysis of the games and there are a lot of things that we discussed. Some of the things which we were doing right and some which were doing wrong,” said Gorowa.
Meanwhile, the Zambian government has organised buses to ferry nearly 400 fans to cheer their team during the Chan qualifier against Zimbabwe at Rufaro tomorrow.
Online Reporter