Businessman dangles incentive for Warriors

ZIMBABWE'S heavy hitters are yet to set the Cosafa Cup as well as a bitterly cold Polokwane alight, but they find themselves in a final they are desperate to win. It hasn't been razzmatazz, but Sunday "Mhofu" Chidzambwa's men have a date with destiny when they face Zambia in the showpiece match tomorrow.

The Warriors are fired up, desperate to answer their critics after two lacklustre performances against Botswana and Lesotho.

And the Zimbabwean community has once again followed the flag, with Last Power Spares (LPS) tabling a R4 0000 incentive.

"This is our way of saying to the boys we are with you, we are proud of you and want to see you go back home with the trophy," said company director Laston Murerwa as he announced the package at the team's hotel.

"As LPS, we are guaranteeing that the boys will have this money on the day they leave, they will cross Limpopo with the money.

"We are saying get the trophy and we will give you the money.

"As Zimbabweans who are based here, we are happy to have been given this rare chance of watching the boys in action at close range, hence we have been coming out in numbers, even on a cold night, to rally behind them.

"The Warriors bring us together and deserve the support of every Zimbabwean and corporate."

Big goalie George Chigova received R3 000 for his penalty heroics from LPS and shared the money with his teammates.

Injured skipper Ovidy Karuru also got some money "for medication" and thanked the Zimbabweans here for their support.

"It's always an honour to represent the nation and we don't even think about money when called up for duty, but when a company like LPS comes through like this, we feel like we are not alone.

"The support has been amazing, we feel at home here and promise to do all we can to defend the trophy," said Karuru, whose right leg is in plaster due to an injury sustained in the quarter-final clash against the Zebras.