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showdown carrying a healthy 3-1 lead from the first leg at Rufaro last month.
A veteran of several battles, including the successful campaign for the 2004 and 2006 Afcon tournaments, Nyandoro yesterday said Zimbabwe were in their best position, in the past six years, to qualify for the Nations Cup finals.
The Mamelodi Sundowns hardman, however, said it was suicidal for the Warriors to believe they have already made it to South Africa, banking on their fine victory from the first leg.
Nyandoro said the Warriors face a very difficult task in Luanda where Angola need to overturn the deficit, in their familiar home conditions, and in front of their passionate fans.
The Warriors defender yesterday urged his teammates to brace for a tough outing before and during the match.
“We don’t expect special treatment in Angola,” he said.
“As I have said before, we are Warriors. We need to go there and fight to the best of our abilities. We are not going there to defend.
“The aim is to play good football and, hopefully, we win.
“We just have to believe in ourselves at the end of the day. We scored three goals here and they scored one.
“If that was so in the first leg, then why can’t we score in Angola as well? In fact, on my experience with Angola, I think history favours Zimbabwe,” said Nyandoro.
The Warriors continued with their preparations yesterday and the coaches are expected to announce their final 18-member squad this afternoon.
The technical team has one of the best Warriors squads at their disposal in this campaign, with 31 players, including six goalkeepers, vying for places.
The players appeared in good spirits and morale in the camp was further boosted by the clean bill of health, except for Buffaloes midfielder Prosper Matizanadzo, who was struggling with an ankle problem.
The coaches will be forced to make tough decisions on the strikeforce with the return of players such as Knowledge Musona, who missed the first leg because of injury and late call, veteran Tinashe Nengomasha and the trio of Kingston Nkhata, Edward Sadomba and Cuthbert Malajila who were cleared from the Asiagate list.
Nyandoro said the Warriors are determined to upset the Palancas Negras in their backyard.
“Obviously with the other guys like Knowledge (Musona) and Tinashe (Nengomasha) coming in, it will add experience in our side. We need that and I believe we will do well,” said Nyandoro.
“Everyone is important in the team, including the guys who played the first leg.
“We are all geared up and I suppose the coaches will have a headache, a positive one for that matter.
“The preparations have been going on well and we are looking forward to the game. The boys are excited and, as I said before, this is not going to be an easy game.
“It’s going to be a tough game. Obviously playing away from home, we just have to concentrate for the entire 90 minutes.
“We will try to play good football and hopefully we will come out with a good result.
“We are talking to the guys that it’s going to be hot in Angola. As much as it will be hot for us, it will also be hot for them.”
Nyandoro said he had detected that this current Warriors’ team tends to play well away from home.
“But what I have noticed with the current squad is that we normally play well away from home,” said the skipper.
“When we play at home there is a little bit more pressure because everyone wants us to score early and playing away from home will ease pressure on the players.
“We need to be physically up for it.
“We might also get a situation where they will put 20 ball boys around the field so there will be no time to breathe.
“The game of football is full of mistakes but if we can try and minimise those errors I don’t see why we cannot come out with a good result.”
The Warriors were hosted by Zimcafe yesterday for lunch and the joint has promised to cater for them again today before their departure if the team’s schedule permits.
Online Reporter