Mugove Chigada Zimpapers Sports Hub
NORMAN Mapeza’s charges will walk into the National Sports Stadium today knowing they are not just carrying the expectations of one club, but a whole nation.
The Zimbabwe champions play host to Angolan giants Petro de Luanda in a TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2026-27 second preliminary round first-leg tie at the National Sports Stadium.
The 20-time league champions in Angola come with quite a reputation and they have been in these trenches for some time.
It is a fixture that feels like a chapter from an old epic, the seasoned empire against the young upstart.
Like David facing a battle-hardened Goliath, Scottland’s story is still being written, and today is a chance to add a line that history will remember.
In Scottland, the Angolans face a young but ambitious club that could change the way the world views Zimbabwean football, for the better.
In their debut season last year, they won the league title, a statement of intent that has changed the game in the country.
In the build-up to that title, they had signed some of the best talent locally and from the region, including Warriors stars Knowledge Musona and Khama Billiat.
And when the Angolan side come face to face with Mabviravira this afternoon, they will have to be at their best and history may not count for them at this stage.
Speaking before the big game, coach Norman Mapeza was, however, a bit cautious, saying they needed to be perfect if they are to get a result that will see them carry a comfortable lead into the second leg in Angola.
“Look, after that defeat to ZPC, the boys were a little down. But look, it is now a different ball game. Like I have said, it’s football. Let’s forget what happened at Kariba. We have a very important game. If we manage to get a good result here at home, when we go to Angola, it will be easier,” Mapeza said.
The Scottland coach, who is no stranger to the African safari having been there with FC Platinum previously, said this is not an easy job.
“I have talked to them and they know what challenges we will face tomorrow. Mentally and physically, we are okay for the game. If we win, it will be very important for them. At the end of the day, we need to get a positive result,” said Mapeza.
“If we get two goals, the better. Last time we won 1-0, we went there, managed to defend, and we were through.
“So, as much as I want us to score so many goals, if it doesn’t happen, we just have to take what comes.”
Scottland go into today’s game under increased pressure as they are also trailing locally in the domestic title race.
Yesterday, Hardrock beat Dynamos 1-0 to take a five-point lead at the top.
Apart from that, the investment made in the club as well as expectations from stakeholders and fans, adds to the pressure.
Mapeza said: “Everywhere you go, there is always pressure. If you look at the club we are playing tomorrow, they have experience. They have been there for some years. But at the end, we need to go into the game.”
And asked about the experience of their opponents, he said: “At the end of the day, it’s not about creating history, but we have to get a result. What is important for us is to try and progress. That is the most important thing.”
Mapeza knows exactly what to expect when playing top African sides.
“Yeah, sometimes it’s a quality side, like I said. If we are going to achieve what we planned, we will be able to cross.
“It will be good for the players to experience facing the quality side we are going to face.
“I was with FC Platinum when we played against another quality side in Esperance, who went on to win the Caf Champions League. The same with us, let’s push.”
The match has been limited to 10,000 fans as part of measures from CAF after the Warriors’ game against DR Congo experienced a stampede.
However, Mapeza believes that support will still be good enough to push his boys, even though they would have wanted more supporters.
“We are just expecting them to give us maximum support… It’s unfortunate what happened for the fans to be limited. But whoever comes tomorrow will be important,” he said.
Tickets for the match are not being sold at the stadium, but at designated places in town and online.
