By Ray Bande
The Warriors are expected to start trooping into camp on Sunday and their captain, Willard Katsande, believes that the team has what it takes to put behind the match fixing furore and win the crucial back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Swaziland.
The Warriors plunge into battle against Sihlangu on Easter Monday in Swaziland before they square up against the same team at home in important Group L Afcon qualifiers.
The Zimbabwe senior men’s national team preparations have been thrown into turmoil with the suspension of Zifa board member, Edzai Kasinauyo and implication of several key stakeholders including players for their alleged involvement in a sophisticated match fixing ploy that had targeted, among other games, to manipulate the tie against Swaziland.
Genuine fears abound that players will be under intense pressure owing to the match fixing uproar and may possibly fail to play their normal game.
Interestingly, coach, Callisto Pasuwa named a strong 27-member squad that also features some players fingered in the match fixing scam, including defender Partson Jaure who was strongly suspected to be part of the scan by assistant coach, Saul Chaminuka.
However, in an interview with Katsande from his base south of the Limpopo, he said the players were able to put behind the match fixing furore and win the crucial back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Swaziland.
The midfielder enforcer has been picking up man of the match awards quite regularly and could be contesting compatriot Khama Billiat for the ABSA Premiership player of the season gong if he continues with his good form.
Katsande, who captained the Warriors in the last AFCON qualifier and his leadership qualities are needed in the back to back ties against Swaziland, said the inclusion of European-based players in the squad would give balance to the squad and widen selection base for the coaches.
“I think we will win the matches against Swaziland both at home and away. “It will not be easy because Swaziland have improved big time, but I am confident that we are equal to the task. “Yes, the match fixing talk is on everyone’s lips, but that will deter us from getting the result that we want.
“Pressure is not something new in football. We are used to it.
“I am also aware that soccer fans in Swaziland support their team with passion and that will make the task more difficult when we play against them away, but at the end of the day we just have to win in order to widen our chances to qualify.
“The other good thing this time around is that we will have some players based in Europe in the team. “The will obviously give balance to the squad and widen selection base for the coaches. That is the way that things should be, coaches must be spoilt for choice,” said Katsande.
In a separate interview, Chaminuka said Somhlolo Stadium, Swaziland’s home ground, was one of his favourite hunting grounds.
“I have good memories about Somhlolo Stadium. Each time I visit that venue I have always come out with positive results and I guess it will not be an exception this time around.
“We are expecting the players to start joining camp on Sunday (March 20) and hopefully we will have meaningful preparations ahead of the two matches against Swaziland,” said the Warriors’ assistant coach.
Pasuwa has already named a 27-man provisional squad, including four foreign-based players. England-based Macauley Bonne who plays his club football for Colchester United’s and Marvelous Nakamba of Dutch topflight league side, Vitesse are some of the high profile stars called up by Pasuwa.
There is also Mamelodi Sundowns star winger, Khama Billiat, while Pasuwa also kept faith in hard working and impressive wing back Costa Nhamoinesu
Zimbabwe soccer fans are thirsty for success in football with the Chan Class of 2016 squad recently finishing bottom of their pool with just one point to show for their efforts after more than 270 minutes of play in Rwanda.
The team lost their first two Group D matches by identical 1-0 score-lines and in similar circumstances against Zambia and Mali to bow out of the competition.
Be that as it may, Zimbabwe now faces Swaziland after the Warriors missed a golden opportunity to seize the initiative in Group L of the 2017 Afcon qualifiers when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Guinea in Harare in September last year.
Warriors squad:
Goalkeepers: Tatenda Mukuruva, Donovan Bernard and Washington Arubi.
Defenders: Patson Jaure, Eric Chipeta, Costa Mhamoinesu, Lawrence Mhlanga, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Bruce Kangwa, Onismo Bhasera, Tendai Darikwa, Brendon Galloway and Elisha Muroiwa.
Midfielders: Willard Katsande, Marvellous Nakamba, Ronald Chitiyo, Danny Phiri, Kudakwashe Mahachi, Marshal Mudehwe, MacAuley Bonne and Tafadzwa Kutinyu.
Strikers: Knowledge Musona, Khama Billiat, Nyasha Mushekwi, Evans Rusike, Cuthbert Malajila and Matthew Rusike.
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