Good vibes for Warriors
THE Warriors are hoping to round off the international break with a win after it kicked off their preparations for the second phase of the Group C Fifa World Cup qualifiers with a bang, beating Zambia in the semi-final of a four-nations tournament in Malawi on Saturday afternoon.
They face Kenya in the final tomorrow at the same venue after the Harambee Stars walloped Malawi 4-0 in the other semi-final.
Zimbabwe beat Chipolopolo 6-5 in a penalty lottery after a 2-2 stalemate in regulation time. It has been a while since the Warriors claimed victory and that win should spur on the Norman Mapezacoached side for good tidings against Kenya ahead of the third and fourth Group C matches to be played against Lesotho and South Africa in June.
Warriors’ debutant Daniel Msendami, who plays for Jwaneng Galaxy in Botswana, is confident of victory against Kenya.
The former Highlanders forward scored the sudden death spot-kick that mattered most for the Warriors to proceed to the final of the four-nations tourney after Chipolopolo’s Stoppila Sunzu had missed their crucial last penalty in the shoot-out.
“The game was very tough. Zambia are a very good side, but we were determined to go pound for pound with them. It was a very good game. I had a very good game, but I can do more than that. I am looking forward to doing more than that. It was great, everyone is so loving and so welcoming. We will just go into the ground to win (against Kenya) and nothing else. We are determined to go in there and win in the final. Every penalty comes with pressure, but I just told myself I am going to do this,” Msendami said.
Sunzu and Clatous Chama had put the Warriors under the threat of losing the game against Zambia with two early goals in the second and 19th minutes, but the determined Warriors came back from behind through United Kingdom-based striker Macauley Bonne, who plays for Cambridge United, and Walter Musona.
Andy Rinhomota, Musona, Tino Kadewere, Marshall Munetsi, substitute Devine Lunga and Gerald Takwara took the Warriors’ spot-kicks before Msendami scored the winner past Zambia goalkeeper Toaster Nsabata.
The Warriors played two draws in their first two games in the Group C World Cup qualifiers with Rwanda and Nigeria.
The group also contains Lesotho, South Africa and Benin. The Warriors are on position five, but still with a chance to sail through.
Rwanda top the group with four points with Bafana Bafana on three while Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Lesotho have two points each.
Benin are at the bottom with a point. The winner of the group makes an automatic qualification to the finals of the 2026 Fifa World Cup.*