Warriors Gear-Up to Face Swaziland

By Perkins Bare

This scene would bring up nightmares for Khama Billiat as he had to be consoled by his current team manager after the Angolan nightmare which left the nation heartbroken and myself well, rather speechless but shouting all sorts of obscenities in the rain. But with the lad in the form of his life as he is currently the top-goal scorer for his club in a deadly attack trio that has been named CBD out at Mamelodi Sundowns. All the wrongs on that fateful afternoon are certainly going to be set right as the upcoming encounters over the easter holidays might just keave us witgh a foot in the Afcon 2017 finals.

After a rather tense few weeks which had been dogged by allegationas of match-fixing, the Warriors will go on to face Swaziland in two back to back encounters over the Easter holidays with the first being played on Easter Friday with the returen leg slated for Monday at the National Sports Stadium. With Swaziland being seeemigly offended by being ranked as a `banana skin` by the Warriors coach Pasuwa, both encounters look set to be feisty.

Both teams sit joint leaders in a group that also includes Malawi and Guinea and these two matches will have a greater bearing on our qualification chances as it is going to be make or break for the Warriors. Swaziland are on top with 4 pointsd as per superior goal difference with the Warriors sitting second with the same number of points. The two matches will defeinintely open up the group as two which team qwill qualify and any team thats going to be up for the challenge will end up with a foot in the aAfcon finals.

Pasuwa named a strong squad for the two matches which includes the likes of teatenda Mukuruva and Donovan Beranrd in the posts. Patson Jaure and Costa Nhamoinesu also got one in a defence that also includes Eric Chipeta. Wilfred Katsande, Ronald Chitiyo and Kuda Mahachi will hold fort in the midfield together with Colchester United striker, Macauley Bonne had received a call-up as well as Everton`s Brendan Gallowya but bith oplayers are set to be missing with Bonne having had paspot issues and Galloway having chose the England`s U-21 side instead. The mid also comprises of locally based players as Danny Phiri and Tafadzwa Kutinyu are also in the squad.

The strike force looks virtually the same as he called up Knowledge Musona, Cuthbert Malajila and in form Khama Billiat. Matthew Rusike and Nyasha Mushekwi are also part of the fix but Pasuwa is expected to start off with Kniowledge Musona and Khama Billiat depending on which fromation he`s going to use. The great thing about these fixtures is that they are going to be cramped and therefore most guys are most likely going to get a go as the coach has several options and he should therefore not be worried about those who underperform and the issue of fatigue. Consistency will however be key as he would also want to maintain the team that has had a feel of the opponent.

Pasuwa however is expected to treat Sihlangu with respect as he ranks Sihlangu as a thorn in the flesh to what is a very healthy Afcon campaign for the Warriors . “In this competition there are no points that will come on a silver platter. We have to fight very hard for every point, let alone three points and I think the biggest challenge we have is to get these players to respect our opponents and not underestimate them” he said in an interview.

“Yes, they might not have many players who play in professional leagues, but we need to understand that unlike most teams on the continent, Swaziland operate more like a club in that their team is always together and they have been together for a long time. “We only get to meet for two or three days of full training at most and in such situations we have to rely on such things like tactics, conditioning, technique and fighting spirit and also work on our cohesion,” Pasuwa added in a that same interview,

Having seen the coach` s approach even when we played Malawi he fancies a cautious approach and prefers to hit teams ont he break but then again this is Swaziland we are playing. These two mathces could be our ticket to Afcon and with the encounters being so tense that one tema ciould just break away dramatically from the group and seal their slot they`re most likely to be close.

The match in Swaziland is most likely going to end in a draw as Pasuwa would naturally fancty a cautious approach unkless it hits him that its only Swaziland we are playing against or the players get a rude awakening which will force them to go all out.

The Warriors are expected to arrive in Swaziland today ahead of their clash on Friday and had been booked to train at Manzini Club before they shift base to Somhlolo National Stadium tomorrow afternoon.

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