Benjani Mwaruwari
From Ishemunyoro Chingwere in CAPE TOWN, South Africa
THE local ensemble of Warriors here preparing for their third consecutive assault on the African Nations Championship has charmed former skipper Benjani Mwaruwari, who believes the team has what it takes to go all the way in this biennial tournament. Mwaruwari; who led the Warriors to their second African Cup of Nations appearance in Egypt back in 2006 — was at the Rand Stadium on Tuesday and saw coach Ian Gorowa’s men dismantle a hapless Gabon 2-0 in an international friendly.
Speaking to The Herald after the match, the former Manchester City and Portsmouth forward was full of praise for the work that Gorowa has done, saying the future of the Zimbabwean game looks bright.
“I am very impressed with what I saw today, it really was a pleasant surprise for many of us who were not expecting the team to put up such a convincing show.
“If you look at it, you will realise that the Gabonese had some experienced guys like Daniel Cousin — formerly with English Premiership side Hull City — but with this youthful side of ours we managed to outplay them.
“If they (the Warriors) can manage to replicate this kind of performance when the tournament starts, I cannot see anyone stopping us.
“The challenge is just to keep the faith and belief that I see in them,” said Mwaruwari, who is now based in South Africa and is turning out for that country’s Premiership side Bidvest Wits.
Although Mwaruwari would not be drawn into picking individual players for special mention, it was abundantly clear that fleet-footed winger Kudakwashe Mahachi might prove to be a revelation here.
The Chicken Inn star was quite a handful and had the Gabonese on the retreat for large spells of the match and with a bit of luck should have gotten his name on the scoreboard.
Mahachi was naturally elated and looks very much geared for the challenge.
“The coach told us the friendly means business and we had to apply ourselves fully and we did just that.
“I am very happy with my performance and that of my teammates and I have no doubt we will definitely win the Cup because it is what we are here for,” said the reigning Castle Lager Soccer Star of the Year second runner up.
Gorowa and his men touched down in the Mother City yesterday morning, booked into the Nelson Mandela Garden Court and quickly got down to business ahead of another friendly against ABSA Premiership side Ajax Cape Town today.
The Warriors face probably their sternest test for a place in the knock-out stages of the tournament when they clash against Morocco on Sunday before dating Uganda and Burkina Faso in other Group B fixtures.
The team has been hard at training and only has “a minor knee injury concern” on new Dynamos winger Masimba Mambare to worry about ahead of the commencement of the tournament.
Mambare missed the Gabon friendly, but is expected to recover in time for the Morocco match.