The Warriors have qualified for the Afcon finals before, but neither Tunisia 2004 nor Egypt 2006, carried as much interest as South Africa 2013.
Should Rahman Gumbo’s men make it, they are sure to play to packed crowds in SA, where millions of their supporters are already budgeting towards the continental soccer showcase. This will certainly boost morale and give them an atmosphere synonymous with the National Sports Stadium.
Highlanders have twice proven the great support awaiting Zimbabwean teams in South Africa. Bosso attracted more than 20,000 fans to their Ubuntu Derby match against SA First Division side, Jomo Cosmos, in Johannesburg in 2009, and almost the same figure when they played Bloemfontein Celtic by invitation last year.
The national team will certainly attract more fans, given that an estimated 3 million exiled Zimbabweans have been starved of their home soccer for years.
Unlike Tunisia and Egypt, South Africa’s proximity will help travelling fans from Zimbabwe, who will have to cough up less than R1,000 for transport to and from the venue. Qualifying would also raise Zimbabwe’s bar at the tournament, having been booted out in the first round of the two editions they participated in. With most of the senior national team’s players starring for a number of South African clubs and having played in the host venues, Zimbabwe’s chances can only getter brighter and brighter.
Fans from both South Africa and Zimbabwe joined hands in sending their goodwill messages to the team, as it carries a 3-1 advantage going into the crunch encounter.
The fans, including Zifa Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Mashingaidze, raised hopes that the team would win over their hosts and make an easy passage to the finals. “I have been meeting the coaches and some of the players and what I have seen is a lot of self-belief – so I have every reason to believe they will make it,” said Mashingaidze.
Former Ziscosteel and Chrome Stars midfielder, Emmanuel Kurebwaseka, believed that the Warriors would not let go of their two-goal cushion. “We only need to score first and put the Angolans in a more desperate situation. With the strikers we now have, following the inclusion of Edward Sadomba and Kingstone Nkatha, a goal might not be that difficult,” said Kurebwaseka. Johannesburg-based Mlungisi Tshabalala said qualifying for the finals would be the Warriors’ best Christmas present to the nation.
“We have not watched them for long and their qualification will be an early Christmas present to the whole nation. I really wish that they will go to Luanda and play as a team so that they win the game,” said Tshabalala.
His sentiments were echoed by Pretoria-based businessman, Thamsanqa Ncube. “We are all behind them all the way because their success will be the success of the whole nation. This is within reach and we cannot afford to let it slip,” said Ncube.
Zimbabwe Warriors Fan Club President, Tendai Zhakata, urged fans to rally behind the Warriors, saying this was Zimbabwe’s chance to prove that the Warriors were still among the elite in African football. “Whoever can afford should to travel to Angola and support the Warriors. They need our support in that foreign land,” said Zhakata. According to Zifa vice president, Ndumiso Gumede, the Warriors will leave Harare by a chartered plane tomorrow evening and return soon after the game. He said there were still seats available for fans who wished to go.
Post published in: Football