Zizou wants a winning return for Warriors

Tadious Manyepo in BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa

 

THE last time Godknows Murwira played for the Warriors in a full international match, Zimbabwe were on the victory corner.

That was back in January 2022 when they beat Guinea 2-1 in their dead rubber game in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Murwira starred in that game and almost recorded his name on the scoresheet but his stinging first half freekick narrowly missed the target.

He is back into the Warriors fold and he was an unused substitute in Zimbabwe’s 2-0 loss to Lesotho in a 2026 World Cup qualifier tie at Orlando Stadium on Friday last week. Coach Jairos Tapera deployed mostly the greenhorns who have never played at this level before.

With the Warriors, now bottom of their qualifying group, desperately needing to redeem themselves against South Africa at Free State Stadium tonight, Murwira is set to be thrown into the fray. Tapera has already indicated that he will shuffle his cards to accommodate a new playing style.

And the experienced Murwira will be lining up for the gigantic fixture at a stadium which Bafana Bafana last used during the 2010 World Cup tournament hosted in this country. The Caps United captain has challenged his teammates to be detailed in front of goal. Murwira said the Warriors ought to have won their fixture against Lesotho had they been sharp in the final third.

“This is a very big match and as you know both South Africa and us need the points.

“The match will be very tough and exciting,” said Murwira.

“We should put away all the chances that come our way. If you look at our game against Lesotho, we had the better number of chances created but they managed to utilise theirs. That made the difference.

“So we need to take our chances because small margins determine these high tempo games.”

The utility, himself loaded with so much experience playing in local club derbies said derbies are never determined by form but rather on who has the most hunger on the day. “South Africa are playing very well and they are strong but this is a different ball game altogether because this is a derby,” said Murwira.

“The Limpopo derby has a lot at stake including bragging rights and we can’t be bullied.

“We plead with the fans to continue supporting us and together we can conquer.”