Do-or-Die For Warriors

Defeat by Guinea at the National Sports Stadium last Sunday has left Zimbabwe in a precarious position and nothing short of a win in Mozambique will leave Zimbabwe all but eliminated from a World Cup place.

Their situation has even been made worse by events that characterised their week staying camp. First the Warriors were denied access for training at the National Sports Stadium and second they even nearly failed to travel for the match as Zifa did not have money for airfares.

But assistant coach David Mandigora said before departure for Maputo that the Warriors have forgotten about that and are more focused on coming up with a result that will make Zimbabwean soccer fans happy.

‘What has happened is now water under the bridge. We know what is expected of us and that is exactly what we aim to do,” said Mandigora.

If the Warriors are serious about winning the match, then strikers, Knowledge Musona and Takesure Chinyama have to be more accurate at goal than being wasteful like they did against the National Elephants of Guinea.

The Warriors could easily have won that match by a high scoring margin but on numerous occasions Musona and Chinyama came face to face with the goalkeeper but could not convert their chances.

Mandigora claims they have rectified that problem adding that they are not making many changes to the team that played Guinea but hinted that England based Onismo Bhasera who was on the bench last week could be give a start.

The Warriors have no problems about their midfield which is anchored by veterans Esrom Nyandoro and Tinashe Nengomasha with Khama Billiart providing the offensive line.

Zimbabwe are in third position on the four team table with no point just like Mozambique while Egypt are top of the table on goal difference over Guinea as both teams have three points each.

There are other critics who are saying with the home defeat against Guinea, Zimbabwe should forget about the World Cup.

The Warriors will enjoy the support of hundreds of their fans who left Harare for Maputo early Saturday morning and are expected to arrive a few hours before the game.

Before the qualifiers started, Mozambique  were considered the weakest team in this group but a win against the Warriors will change that tag which will then go to the Zimbabweans.