Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo in UYO, Nigeria
MIDFIELDER Andy Rinomhota has been impressed with the way chemistry is improving among the Warriors going into their showdown against the Super Eagles here tomorrow.
The match starts at 6pm Zim time.
“I think we are getting more games together, building the chemistry and trying to pick momentum, and now obviously getting ready for it,” said Rinomhota.
He made his maiden start for the Warriors in the corresponding fixture that ended 1-1 at the Huye Stadium in Rwanda in November 2023.
“We’re just very open, optimistic. We, obviously, think we can go and get a result. So we’ve got a result against them in the past, albeit in our home environment so to say, even though it was in Rwanda.
“But that was, yeah, my first game, so that was straight – a huge test for me individually.
“The team did really well in that situation to get a draw. So we’re looking to do the same again on their own soil.
“So, I think we came here with so much confidence. Obviously, we give them respect, because we know they have good players, a good team, but then we’re not going to over-respect them.
“We are not going to be giving them too much respect.
“We will try to impose ourselves on them in the game. So, yeah, like I said, we are here, trying to get a result and keep pushing on towards our goal.
“I think we will just be ready to face Nigeria on Tuesday. I am confident we will do well.”
Zimbabwe, on just three points and sitting at the base of the six-team Group C standings , need to win this one to breathe a bit of life into their faulty campaign.
“I think it’s going to be quite a warm, humid environment (tomorrow). So, I think we can prepare ourselves now for we need to just be in the game as well, even though the game’s a bit later on, but we still have that in our minds, because we had the same when we played Cameroon late last year in the AFCON qualifiers,” said Rinomhota.
“So we are trying to adjust to that and make sure we start the game well and I think with the squad, yeah, I think the conditions are in everyone’s mind.
“We are trying to prepare as early as we can and get fully acclimatised.”
The Warriors yesterday chose the time when the conditions were at their hottest to conduct their training session as they continue to acclimatise to the punishing hot, humid conditions here.
They regularly took cooling breaks to take up fluids as they battled in the heat at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium’s Training Ground.
Humidity hovering around 40% and restricting wind speed to just 6km/hr.
It won’t be any better tomorrow when Zimbabwe face Nigeria as they attempt to salvage a wilting 2026 World Cup qualification campaign at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
The temperature is forecast to be around 33 Degrees Celsius with a 42% humidity.
Eritrea officials will handle the match tomorrow.
Tsegay Teklu Mogos is the centre referee and will be assisted by Eyobel Michael and Mengis Sirak Samuel respectively.
dyton mupawaenda