THE Zimbabwe Warriors take on Liberia in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with soccer chief’s urging the team to rekindle the “spirit of the dream team” as the country looks to qualify for the 2012 finals.
Stand-in captain Method Mwanjali will lead his colleagues in Monrovia aware that only a successful qualification campaign this time round could help make up the agony of the last few years.
Zimbabwe failed to qualify for the last two editions of the tournament in 2008 and 2010 and painfully missed out on the historic FIFA World Cup finals held in neighbouring South Africa.
The Warriors are under pressure to make it to the next continental finals which will be jointly hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Care-taker coach Norman Mapeza is keenly aware of task facing his charges.
"We have spoken about this game and we have said that we have to start well and enhance our chances of qualifying for the Nations Cup because it has been painful watching from television while other teams were taking part at the nations Cup and later on the World Cup.
"Every Zimbabwean wants their national team to be there at all these tournaments, whether it is the CHAN, World Cup, Nations Cup or Cosafa,’’ Mapeza said ahead of the teams departure for the Liberian capital Monrovia.
Education, sport and culture minister David Coltart said national pride was at stake in Liberia and challenged the team to play with passion.
"It’s important that we begin our 2012 campaign on a winning note. National pride is at stake and I am proud to be the Minister of Sport in this great nation.
"I challenge the players as they play Liberia to rekindle the passion and be committed on the field of play” Coltart said at a function held to see the team off.
The local game has also been undermined by scandal with ZIFA officials and several national team players questioned over alleged involvement with Asian betting syndicates.
Former Caps United captain, Mwanjali, who is now based in South Africa, was among the players questioned by the national association over the scandal.
However any lingering anxieties he might have suffered over the issue would have been allayed by ZIFA’s assurances that players would not face any charges over the issue.
Meanwhile Mapeza sought to make a break with the past by leaving out a number of senior players associated with past campaigns including captain, Benjani Mwaruwari.
Enagland-based defender Onismo Bhasera said the presence of new players was a positive development.
“The good thing about having so many new players in the team is that everyone is determined to impress so that they remain part of the group.
“There are so many good players in the team and we are all committed to the cause. I have no doubt that we will bring back all three points from Liberia,” Bhasera said before the team left Harare on Friday night.
Zimbabwe will need to top Group A to ensure automatic qualification to the 2012 finals.
Other teams in the group are Mali and Cape Verde.
Probable line-up: W. Arubi, N. Kaseke, O. Bhasera, T. Sweswe, M, Mwanjali, A. Rambanepasi, J. Majabvi, C. Matawu, T. Rusike, K. Musona, E. Sadomba.