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Warriors battle Mali

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CAPE TOWN — THE Warriors will share $10 000 provided by a local company, Weldmax Engineering and Hardware Supplies if they win

CAPE TOWN — THE Warriors will share $10 000 provided by a local company, Weldmax Engineering and Hardware Supplies if they win their Orange African Nations Championships (Chan) quarterfinal match against Mali at the Cape Town Stadium tonight.

Kick-off is 2030hrs.

The company, the biggest supplier to the mining industry in Zimbabwe, said they wanted to give President Robert Mugabe a perfect 90th birthday present by winning the trophy and were playing their part in motivating the boys.

“The boys should know that this is for the President’s 90th birthday and the country and they must win. The money will be handed over to each and every player soon after the match. We were approached by Simeon Jamanda (Zifa supporters’ liaison officer) and we have heeded that call,” company boss Solomon Matsa said yesterday.

“I will be flying out to Cape Town tomorrow (today) to be with the team during the match.”

Jamanda said he was grateful for Weldmax’s positive response. “We are very grateful for this support and we hope that we will be able to get more for the semi-finals and final,” a confident Jamanda said.

Coach Ian Gorowa is likely to make one change to his starting line up this evening after Charles Sibanda failed to recover from an injury sustained during the 1-0 win over Burkina Faso on Saturday.

With Donald Ngoma and Simba Nhivi Sithole having fired blanks in the games against Uganda and Morocco, perhaps the coach might opt for Nelson Mazivisa.

George Chigova will take his position in goal with Hardlife Zvirekwi, Milton Ncube, Patson Jaure and the rock solid Eric Chipeta making the back four.

Zimbabwe’s unsung hero, Danny “Deco” Phiri will anchor with Masimba Mambare, Peter Moyo and Kuda Mahachi also in the starting line-up with Simba Sithole lining up as one of the strikers. Ngoma, Nhivi, Mazivisa will be left to fight for the other slot.

MTNFootball.com spoke to some of the Warriors players and this is what they had to say.

Chigova: “We are very determined to play this game like a final and I want to try and maintain a clean sheet in the tournament.”

Jaure: “Although we respect Mali as a team, we are also hungry to qualify for the semi-final stage and any team can win this game.”

Felix Chindungwe: “The most important thing will be to work as a team. Mali plays the similar kind of football to Zimbabwe, but we are better in ball speed.”

Ali Sadiki: “I am expecting a win because we are a good side. We are not scared of them because they are not that strong like some people think.”

Zvirekwi: “It is going to be a very tough match because they are a very physical and tactical side. But as defenders we need to stand our ground and continue from where we left and give strikers no space to score.”

Mali finished their group as the leaders and will bank on the exploits of Abdoulaye Sissoko, Adama Traore Ibourahima Sidibe and Idrissa Traore, who masterminded a 2-1 comeback win over Mozambique in the final match.

“We know what to expect against them and my boys are hungry to stay in this tournament,” Gorowa told MTNFootball.com during an interview at the Garden Court Nelson Mandela Boulevard Hotel yesterday.

Mali coach Djibril Brame told MTNFootball.com that he is happy that they have managed to score five goals in the group stage, but added that his strikers must be much sharper in the quarter final stage because this is now knock out.

“We do not underrate any team at this level and will be very cautious against Zimbabwe,” said Brame. — SPORTS EDITOR/MTN FOOTBALL