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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE lost an Africa Nations Championship football qualifier for the first time in nine years and now have to turn it around in Harare to ensure they keep their perfect qualifying record for the CHAN finals intact.

The Warriors encountered a setback in the first leg of the second round qualifiers against Namibia over the weekend when they stumbled to a surprise 0-1 defeat.

The senior national football team have never missed the finals of the tournament since its inception in 2000 but they are now on the back foot after succumbing to a 0-1 away defeat at Sam Nujoma Stadium courtesy of Hendrik Somaeb strike.

But having been part of the cast in all the past four editions, Zimbabwe seriously need to fight back at home to remain in the hunt for a fifth appearance.

Coach Sunday Chidzambwa, who recently led the side to a record fifth COSAFA Championship, remained optimistic of Zimbabwe’s prospects despite the slump they encountered in Windhoek.

The Warriors are expected to regroup this afternoon to begin preparations for the must-win game at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday. Chidzambwa yesterday said he will have to work hard on the shortcomings that were exposed in the first leg.

“Of course, after losing a match the morale goes down a bit but I am sure we will be able to come back. We have to resume training tomorrow (today) afternoon. ‘’We have some work to do on our hands but it’s not insurmountable.

“We will need to try and rectify the mistakes that we made in the previous game. I think we were overpowered in the midfield, especially in the first half, and we also did not create as many chances as we did at the recent COSAFA Cup. ‘’So we have to work hard on that and I am sure we will be able to turn the tables.

“Otherwise, apart from those areas that I mentioned, our team wasn’t that bad. I was quite impressed by Abbas Amidu, Dennis Dauda, Ocean Mushure and Jimmy Tigere and had all the players come to the party, I think we could have come back home with something,” said Chidzambwa.

The veteran coach also said they will be monitoring midfielder Gerald Takwara who missed the first leg after suffering a serious bout of flu. Chidzambwa even hinted the FC Platinum midfielder could be replaced as his condition had not improved by the time they returned home.

Namibia have been difficult opponents for the Warriors of late having claimed the last three meetings between the two teams spread in a 10-year period.

Statistics are evenly balanced, though. The teams have met 11 times since 1990 with each side winning five times and drawing once. But Namibia have never qualified for the CHAN finals and will be looking to break the duck this year.

Their coach Ricardo Mannetti, who had said his side were the underdogs, maintained the same mantra ahead of the trip to Harare despite winning the first leg.

Mannetti said the Brave Warriors will need to work even harder to complete the upset in Harare. “I told you guys that we are the underdogs. You know, Zimbabwe have a lot of players, they have a lot of depth. Zimbabwe still remain the favourites. ‘’You know they have just won COSAFA and they will be playing at home. It’s for us to prepare accordingly and play above ourselves.

“We still have to play above ourselves because if you see some of my players by the 50th minute they couldn’t (play) any more. ‘’So match fitness is still a problem for us and having said that we need to play above ourselves in order to qualify for the next round,” said Mannetti.

The winner of the two legs will meet the team that progresses to the final round of the qualifiers between Comoros and Lesotho.

Comoros already have one foot in after beating their opponents 2-0 in the first leg at the weekend.