Sports / Local
Happy return for Prince Dube
29 Dec 2021 at 00:27hrs | Views
Warriors striker Prince Dube is pleased to be back in the fold after a spate of injuries saw him miss a host of the senior national team's assignments over the course of the year.
Dube scored an important equalising goal which gave Zimbabwe a valuable points at home against Algeria in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers which helped the team qualify for the finals.
Having missed the World Cup qualifiers, Dube is back in the fold ahead of the Afcon finals which will be staged in Cameroon in about two weeks' time.
The former Highlanders forward is looking forward to the tournament, which he could use as a stepping stone to bigger leagues.
"It's a great feeling every time I get called to the national team it's a great honour. I just want to help the nation. It was a difficult time for me, I went through a lot of things and suffered so many injuries. But what is important for me is that every time I get a chances I do my best to showcase my talent and help the team. My focus is always to help the team, it's all about the team and not individual interests. I want to help the team achieve its goal at the tournament," Dube said.
He said he was aware of the weight of expectation for him to score goals at the tournament and is ready for the challenge.
"I am a striker and my goal is to score from each and every chance that I get if you are striker everyone expects you to score goals so when I go there and I get a chance to play , will be looking to score some goals for the team."
Defender Onisimor Bhasera said the team was not worried about facing European based stars who dominate the squads of Senegal and Guinea and believes the Warriors have what it takes to at least qualify to the knockout stages.
"The buildup has been good so far, the guys are doing well. I am going have a word with the players I have been there before, but football is always changing and its going to be different this time around but we are looking forward to it. Our goal is to reach the knockout stage of the tournament this time around," Bhasera said.
Zimbabwe has never gone beyond the Group stages and they will be looking to finish among the top two teams to guarantee progression.
"We have to do our job the best team on the day will win it's not about stars. We have to go out there and put in a shift, the result will always take care of itself.
"What is important is to put in a shift, sometimes you lose but we have to leave everything on the field. We are not worried about star studded teams we are just going there to work hard and encourage each other."
Dube scored an important equalising goal which gave Zimbabwe a valuable points at home against Algeria in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers which helped the team qualify for the finals.
Having missed the World Cup qualifiers, Dube is back in the fold ahead of the Afcon finals which will be staged in Cameroon in about two weeks' time.
The former Highlanders forward is looking forward to the tournament, which he could use as a stepping stone to bigger leagues.
"It's a great feeling every time I get called to the national team it's a great honour. I just want to help the nation. It was a difficult time for me, I went through a lot of things and suffered so many injuries. But what is important for me is that every time I get a chances I do my best to showcase my talent and help the team. My focus is always to help the team, it's all about the team and not individual interests. I want to help the team achieve its goal at the tournament," Dube said.
He said he was aware of the weight of expectation for him to score goals at the tournament and is ready for the challenge.
Defender Onisimor Bhasera said the team was not worried about facing European based stars who dominate the squads of Senegal and Guinea and believes the Warriors have what it takes to at least qualify to the knockout stages.
"The buildup has been good so far, the guys are doing well. I am going have a word with the players I have been there before, but football is always changing and its going to be different this time around but we are looking forward to it. Our goal is to reach the knockout stage of the tournament this time around," Bhasera said.
Zimbabwe has never gone beyond the Group stages and they will be looking to finish among the top two teams to guarantee progression.
"We have to do our job the best team on the day will win it's not about stars. We have to go out there and put in a shift, the result will always take care of itself.
"What is important is to put in a shift, sometimes you lose but we have to leave everything on the field. We are not worried about star studded teams we are just going there to work hard and encourage each other."
Source - NewsDay Zimbabwe