FORMER Warriors midfielder Willard Mashinkila-Khumalo says the national team’s chances of progressing to the next stage of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers are bright provided the players and the technical team put their heads together when they clash with Tanzania on Sunday at the National Sports Stadium.
FORTUNE MBELE SPORTS REPORTER
The Warriors carry a 0-1 defeat to Taifa Stars from the first round first leg played in Dar es Salaam a fortnight ago and need to convincingly beat the East Africans for the second hurdle of the qualifiers, probably against gritty neighbours Mozambique, who carry a healthy 5-0 home win from their first leg against South Sudan.
Former Warriors and Highlanders player Mashinkila-Khumalo, who played in the much-acclaimed Reinhard Fabisch-coached Dream Team in the 1990s, said the boys must go on attacking mode from the outset, score an early goal and unsettle the Tanzanians before finishing them off.
“I think we can get a positive result,” he said.
“We just have to go in there and attack from the start. We are only trailing 0-1 and an early goal will unsettle them. The chances are bright for the Warriors.”
Zimbabwe were last in the Afcon finals in 2006 under Charles Mhlauri in Egypt after their debut in the 2004 edition under Sunday Chidzambwa in Tunisia.
Head coach Ian Gorowa, who assembled a squad of locally-based players that made waves in the African Nations Championships (Chan) tournament in January in South Africa has called up quite a sizeable number of foreign-based players into the team.
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Al Ahly Benghazi of Libya’s Edward Sadomba, Belgium-based Ovidy Karuru, South African Mamelodi Sundowns’ Cuthbert Malajila, Mpumalanga Black Aces’ Tendai Ndoro, Bidvest Wits’ Denver Mukamba and goalkeeper Washington Arubi make up the contingent of foreign-based players.
Sadomba is expected in today as he has was in Tunisia for the Caf Champions League match against Espérance.
Also in the squad is Highlanders midfielder Milton Ncube — played as a left-back and is Ajax Cape Town-bound — and Kudakwashe Mahachi who will also be joining Absa champions Sundowns very soon.
However, Mahachi and Highlanders midfielder Peter “Rio” Moyo were due to be assessed by the team’s doctors ahead of Sunday’s crunch tie.
Mahachi had not arrived yesterday while Moyo did not train and is likely to miss out.
Also in the squad is leading Castle Lager Premier Soccer League scorer, How Mine’s Kuda Musharu, who has banged in eight goals in eight matches after missing one match when he was on trials with AmaZulu in South Africa.
The squad has in camp George Chigova, Munyaradzi Diya, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Erick Chipeta, Partson Jaure, Ronald Pfumbidzai and Talent Chawapiwa making up the defence with midfielders Danny “Deco” Phiri, Wonder Kapinda, Stephen Alimenda and Marshal Mudewe.
A determined Tanzania hosted the Flames of Malawi yesterday as part of the preparations for the Sunday match.
However, Taifa Stars Dutch coach Mart Nooij was without TP Mazembe strikers Mbwana Samata and Thomas Ulimwengu, but had John Bocco, Mrisho Ngassa, Ramadhan Singano, Simon Msuva and Hamis Mcha.
Bocco scored against the Warriors in Dar es Salaam.
Taifa Stars also boast experienced players in Nadir Haroub, Aggrey Morris, Erasto Nyoni and Kelvin Yondani.
