Warriors Face India in Unity Cup Third Place Play-Off Seeking Redemption  

Zimbabwe's Warriors return to action at The Valley this weekend targeting third place in the Unity Cup after a 2-0 defeat to Nigeria ended their hopes of claiming the tournament title, with India standing between them and a consolation prize following the Blue Tigers' own 2-0 loss to Jamaica.  Head coach Kaitano Tembo is expected to ring the changes for what represents a rare and historic footballing encounter, with the Warriors desperate to end their London campaign on a positive note and restore confidence within the squad.  Zimbabwe will be heavy favourites going into the clash. India, ranked 136th in the FIFA world rankings and managed by Khalid Jamil, are making their Unity Cup debut and while they carry the novelty of being unfamiliar continental opposition, the quality gap on paper clearly favours the Warriors.  The historical record supports Zimbabwe's confidence. The two nations have met only once before in senior men's football, a 2003 Afro-Asian Games encounter that Zimbabwe won convincingly 5-3 in a goal-laden thriller. This weekend's clash is only the second meeting between the sides in history, making it a genuinely rare occasion in world football.  However, India possess one genuine defensive duo in Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Rahul Bheke that Zimbabwe cannot afford to underestimate, who are capable of stopping any offensive assault from the Warriors. A commanding presents in the back line that Zimbabwe should be wary of. Zimbabwe's defeat to Nigeria exposed defensive vulnerabilities and wastefulness in front of goal that Tembo must urgently address.   The Warriors showed promise but were ultimately punished for individual errors against a ruthless Super Eagles side. A comfortable victory is expected