Online Reporter
Petros Kausiyo in LONDON, England
TWO days after looking disjointed and short on rhythm against Nigeria, Zimbabwe’s Warriors cut a far more settled figure at training yesterday as Kaitano Tembo’s men turned their focus to tomorrow’s Unity Cup third-place play-off against India at The Valley.
The difference was hard to miss.
The late arrivals are now finally settling in, combinations are beginning to click, and the mood around camp has lifted after a difficult start against the Super Eagles.
Striker Prince Dube has now joined camp from Tanzanian giants Young Africans, while Orlando Pirates title winner Daniel Msendami, Durban City defender Emmanuel Jalai and Udinese wing-back Jordan Zemura have also had more time to blend into the squad.
Tembo admitted the improvement in training has left him encouraged ahead of another physical examination against India.
The Warriors technical team, led by Tembo, Takesure Chiragwi and Pernell McKop, also watched India’s semi-final against Jamaica and expect another demanding battle.
But while victory remains the target, Tembo insisted the bigger mission stretches far beyond finishing third at the Unity Cup.
“Look, I think for me the objective is still the same, it is to prepare and lay the foundation for us to be ready for a very strong AFCON qualifying campaign,” said Tembo.
“So this gives us an opportunity to look at players, test combinations and expose some of the boys at this level.
“Playing Nigeria was the kind of match you want when you are preparing a team. India are also not a bad side. They are physical, strong and aggressive, so again it gives us another different challenge.
“But I expect us to be much better because the cohesion is improving every day.
“The combinations are getting better because we now have more time together on the training ground.
“For me, performance is very important when you are building a team. Results matter, yes, but performances help you build consistency and help you win more games over time.
“If you focus only on winning, sometimes you ignore the areas that can hurt you badly when the real competition starts.”
Tembo believes the contrast in styles between Nigeria and India could help sharpen his side ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, where Zimbabwe will battle DR Congo, Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea for a place at the tournament to be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
The qualifiers begin in September, and Tembo knows Zimbabwe cannot afford another sluggish start.
“You must understand there are no easy teams in Africa anymore,” he said.
“In the World Cup qualifiers we competed well against the bigger teams but struggled against the smaller nations.
“We even lost to Lesotho, and that tells you everything. You cannot leave any stone unturned in your preparations.
“That is why we want to give opportunities to as many players as possible because we don’t have enough international windows before September.
“This FIFA window is the only proper preparation period we have. COSAFA is outside the FIFA calendar, and clubs may refuse to release players because they will already be preparing for next season.”
Tembo hinted that the COSAFA Cup could largely become a platform for locally-based players to push their case for national team places.
“We might have the majority of local league players at COSAFA,” he said.
“It’s important that everybody gets an opportunity. That’s why we are here.”
Tembo is also expected to hand Brentford goalkeeper Marley Tavaziva his long-awaited first start for the Warriors tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Unity Cup organisers yesterday bowed to pressure from supporters and reduced ticket prices for finals day in a bid to fill the 27 000-seater Valley Stadium.
Adult tickets have been cut to £38, while children’s tickets now cost £10.
“The Unity Cup is about bringing communities together through football, culture and celebration,” organisers said.
“We want to see The Valley full on finals day and create an unforgettable occasion for supporters from all communities.”
Organisers also revealed the UEFA Champions League final between Arsenal and PSG, which kicks off between the third-place play-off and the final, will be screened live inside the stadium.
