Sports / Soccer
Home crowd to spur Warriors, Mapeza confident
03 Jun 2011 at 21:30hrs | Views
Zimbabwe are banking on a vibrant home crowd to spur the team to victory over Mali in an intriguing 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Harare on Sunday.
Mali are out to reclaim the initiative in Group A after slipping unexpectedly in their opening match of the campaign, a 1-0 loss away to surprise package Cape Verde.
But while the Eagles have gone on to register two successive victories and now trail group leaders Cape Verde by a single point, Zimbabwe's Warriors are in deep trouble.
Three qualifiers have yielded a paltry two points for coach Norman Mapeza's charges, and anything other than victory on Sunday will effectively mean another agonising failure to make Africa's premier football festival.
Former Warriors coach Marc Duvillard however believes Zimbabwe can lay the groundwork for a stunning comeback with victory on Sunday if the Rufaro Stadium crowd fulfills its role as the 12th man.
"The key to this game will be the supporters, they cannot afford to boo their own players at this stage, this is when you need their support the most," Duvillard told the local media on Thursday.
Sudan based striker Edward Sadomba can hardly wait for a return to Rufaro, the scene of so many of his heroics in Dynamos colours in the past.
"It is a great feeling to be back playing at Rufaro, I have missed (the) Vietnam (Stand) a lot and if I am picked in the team I will try to do my best for the fans and for the country," Sadomba said during the week.
But the Zimbabwe crowd can also turn against their own if things stop flowing on the pitch and captain Method Mwanjali has been quick to caution against the disruptive booing and jeering.
"I think we are used to pressure but I also feel that it will be difficult if the fans boo the boys because we also have some youngsters in the team," he pleaded.
Mapeza has been boosted by the return to fitness of star striker Knowledge Musona, who missed two days of training with a knee injury.
Musona is expected to lead the line in what looks set to be an ultra-offensive formation as Mapeza goes all out in search of the elusive goals.
The Warriors have managed just one goal in three matches, but with inform forwards Musona, Mushekwi, Sadomba and Khama Billiat all in the picture, there is a good chance the nets will shake more than once on Sunday.
Mapeza is aware though that while the focus is on sharpening the strike-force, any slackening in defence could prove fatal against a Mali outfit laden with talented European-based players.
Mali are out to reclaim the initiative in Group A after slipping unexpectedly in their opening match of the campaign, a 1-0 loss away to surprise package Cape Verde.
But while the Eagles have gone on to register two successive victories and now trail group leaders Cape Verde by a single point, Zimbabwe's Warriors are in deep trouble.
Three qualifiers have yielded a paltry two points for coach Norman Mapeza's charges, and anything other than victory on Sunday will effectively mean another agonising failure to make Africa's premier football festival.
Former Warriors coach Marc Duvillard however believes Zimbabwe can lay the groundwork for a stunning comeback with victory on Sunday if the Rufaro Stadium crowd fulfills its role as the 12th man.
"The key to this game will be the supporters, they cannot afford to boo their own players at this stage, this is when you need their support the most," Duvillard told the local media on Thursday.
Sudan based striker Edward Sadomba can hardly wait for a return to Rufaro, the scene of so many of his heroics in Dynamos colours in the past.
"It is a great feeling to be back playing at Rufaro, I have missed (the) Vietnam (Stand) a lot and if I am picked in the team I will try to do my best for the fans and for the country," Sadomba said during the week.
But the Zimbabwe crowd can also turn against their own if things stop flowing on the pitch and captain Method Mwanjali has been quick to caution against the disruptive booing and jeering.
"I think we are used to pressure but I also feel that it will be difficult if the fans boo the boys because we also have some youngsters in the team," he pleaded.
Mapeza has been boosted by the return to fitness of star striker Knowledge Musona, who missed two days of training with a knee injury.
Musona is expected to lead the line in what looks set to be an ultra-offensive formation as Mapeza goes all out in search of the elusive goals.
The Warriors have managed just one goal in three matches, but with inform forwards Musona, Mushekwi, Sadomba and Khama Billiat all in the picture, there is a good chance the nets will shake more than once on Sunday.
Mapeza is aware though that while the focus is on sharpening the strike-force, any slackening in defence could prove fatal against a Mali outfit laden with talented European-based players.
Source - Supersport
