The ManicaPost
ZIMBABWE is still basking in the glory of COSAFA Castle Cup triumph which duly earned the Warriors the respect and admiration of scouts from different teams beyond our borders.
We duly join the nation in congratulating the Warriors for a splendid show that kept our pride intact and raised hopes for a better future in our national team’s international assignments in football.
Now that the COSAFA tournament has come and gone, the nation will soon be shifting focus to the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) second round qualifier on Sunday where the Warriors will be facing Namibia away in Windhoek.
The game will be played at Sam Nujoma Stadium at 3pm. The return leg comes during the weekend of July 21 to 23 in Zimbabwe.
If the Warriors win the duel against Namibia, they will face the winner between Lesotho and Comoros in the third round. The actual CHAN tournament will run from January 11 to February 2.
Kenya will be hosting the fifth edition of the Championship of Africa Nations.
However, it is the idea by ZIFA to let Sunday Chidzambwa lead the senior men football national team again in this latest campaign, as opposed to the initial plan where another coach was supposed to take care of this CHAN assignment that is laudable, given the recent impressive outing in the just-ended COSAFA Castle Cup tournament in South Africa.
Chidzambwa was repaid by ZIFA with further Warriors duties, having been initially pronounced as the COSAFA Castle Cup coach exclusively. His whole technical team also continues along with him. It is the thought of continuity that we attach too much importance to that we find reason in maintaining a winning team.
ZIFA has been facing intense criticism from critics after a bizarre arrangement that left the Warriors with three different coaches for three different assignments, namely COSAFA Castle Cup, CHAN tournament and the Africa Cup of Nations.
Now that Chidzambwa has been given the green light to continue with the CHAN assignment, neutrals will most probably see reason in the decision by ZIFA to allow continuity and consistency in our flagship football team.
Chidzambwa has since released the names of an 18-member football squad to play away to CHAN qualifier and our hope is that the team will even do much better.
We also derive optimism for a better performance in the CHAN assignment given that after impressive performances in the CAF Champions League, Caps United’s duo of Ronald Chitiyo and Abbas Amidu were also included in the squad to battle against the Namibians away from home.
More so, as we come out of a highly successful COSAFA Castle Cup campaign, there is every reason for every football loving Zimbabwean to believe that our national team has what it takes to maintain the momentum and keep the Zimbabwean flag flying high in international football competitions.
For now, we can afford to sit back, relax and chant Go Warriors Go!
