Former Warriors skipper Benjani Mwaruwari yesterday handed over $13 000 to the Warriors as their appearance fees for his testimonial match played at the National Sports Stadium against the Friends of Benjani last Saturday.
The figure is a huge boost for the Warriors ahead of tomorrow’s 2014 World Cup qualifier against Guinea at the same venue.
The money was handed over to Zifa vice-president Ndumiso Gumede — who is in charge of national teams — yesterday and was swiftly passed on to the team before their afternoon training session. Each player who took part in the match got $500.
The package comes barely 24 hours after Mbada Diamonds Holdings handed over $75 000 to the Warriors for winning bonuses, appearance fees and camping allowances for tomorrow’s match.
And Benjani says the fans must be there to cheer the Warriors and intimidate Guinea into submission.
“I will obviously be at the match. If I am not there, then there will be something wrong with that. The team is brimming with confidence and it’s a game we must win with ease. As such, the fans must come in their numbers to support the boys, give them motivation and confidence.
“The same fans that came last Saturday to support me should come again in their numbers with new friends to make the boys comfortable because without their support, the boys will be in trouble.
“If Guinea walks into an empty stadium, they will feel comfortable and that can cause problems for us. So the fans must fill up the stadium and make those guys feel intimidated by the atmosphere,” Benjani told NewsDay Sport.
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Benjani’s last appearance for the Warriors was against the Cape Verde Islands in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the same venue in 2010 which ended in a 0-0 draw-a result which eventually came back to haunt the Warriors in the run up to the last qualifier.
And that is what Harlington Shereni — a former left back with the Warriors — is telling the players today the importance of taking home matches seriously.
“I have played with some of those Guinea guys in France and I must say this is going to be a very tough match for the Warriors.
“The boys have to take this match seriously. We cannot afford to lose at home because we all know that winning away is all but impossible.
“Although it will be tough, I still tip the Warriors to win; the youngsters can do the job for us,” Shereni said in an interview with NewsDay Sport yesterday.
Turning 37 next month, Shereni had his final game against Guinea in 2008 after he had been called up by former Brazilian coach Valinhos. Shereni was part of the Warriors team that made its debut in the Afcon finals in Tunisia in 2004, where they managed a single win over Algeria, thanks to goals from Adam Ndlovu and Joel Luphahla.
