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THE UNDERTAKER . . . Benjani Mwaruwari, the former Zimbabwe captain, toured the Yadah Hotel Complex yesterday to see the training base where the Warriors were housed ahead of their 2019 AFCON qualifier against Liberia

Sports Reporter
FORMER Warriors captain Benjani Mwaruwari yesterday paid a visit to the Yadah Hotel Complex in Harare to thank Prophet Walter Magaya for his gesture to host the senior national football team ahead of their 2019 Nations Cup opener against Liberia earlier this month.

Benjani, who is now based in South Africa and the United Kingdom, had a tour of the five-star complex where the Warriors were housed during a two-week camp ahead of their match against the Liberians.

Zimbabwe opened their 2019 AFCON campaign with a 3-0 victory over Liberia at the National Sports Stadium with new skipper Knowledge Musona making history as the first Warriors captain to score three goals in a Nations Cup assignment.

Musona heaped praise on the five-star base, which Magaya provided for free, as the best place he has stayed at in his adventure with the Warriors.

“I think this is the best place I have stayed since I came for duty with the national team,” said Musona. “In everything, when you start with good preparation like this, it’s good for everyone. You know, sometimes it’s not just about the football on the pitch, but it’s also about how you prepare; the accommodation, just the environment around the team.

“So I think this is the perfect place for us. It’s very quiet, with a nice field, very good accommodation and we are eating good food. Everyone is happy. I am sure even the guys who are back in the team after a very long time are also happy. The mood in the camp is just good.’’

Yesterday Benjani toured the complex, where the Warriors held their camp, and the former Manchester City forward was impressed by the standards at the facility.

“I was not around when the boys played their 2019 AFCON game against Liberia, but I followed what was happening in camp through the reports that I was reading in the newspapers,’’ said Benjani.

“I felt it was important that I also come here (at the Yadah Complex) and see where the boys stayed and also the training ground which they were using ahead of that game.

“I have to say that the facilities here are first-class and they compare favourably with the best that you see even in Europe, especially those VVIP suites where the boys were staying ahead of the game against Liberia.

“It’s refreshing that someone, who has a passion to see the game in our country succeeding, went out of his way to provide all this for the sake of his national football team, free of charge, and that should be commended because that is the only way that our football can develop.

“I felt it was important that I also personally come here and thank the prophet, as a former captain of the team, for what he did for the Warriors ahead of our match against Liberia because he is setting an example of how we should all pull in one direction to try and ensure that our national team is taken care of and is given a good chance to succeed.

“Hopefully, when our next game comes long in March next year, there will be a number of other partners coming on board to help our senior national team in this journey.”

Benjani met Magaya for a few minutes last night as the prophet had a commitment at his church where he conducted his weekly Wednesday night service.