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Augustine Hwata Senior Sports Reporter
WARRIORS’ coach Ian Gorowa says his team needs to dream even higher, as they brace for their African Nations Championships quarter-final tie against Mali, at the Cape Town Stadium in South Africa tonight. The match gets underway at 8:30pm. Gorowa is taking a very cautious approach, ahead of the showdown against the Eagles of Mali, but wants his men to dream that they can even go as far as getting to the final of the CHAN tournament.

Victory tonight — which the country demands — will see them progressing to the semi-finals, while a defeat will end their dance at the tournament where they are the only team from Southern Africa remaining in the battlefield.

Gorowa was bubbling with confidence this week and yesterday, on the eve of the big game, he said his mission was to take the Warriors as far as possible, and that could mean all the way to the final.

“When I started this job, as coach for the national team, my goal was to take the team to CHAN. Now when we came to CHAN, our goal was to do better than what Zimbabwe had done at the previous editions and we have done that,” Gorowa told The Herald.

“But we should not be content with the fact that we have reached the quarter-finals. I think we should be aiming at reaching the final now. Once we get into the final, then we have to focus on winning the tournament, but I would want us to reach the final first.”

The Warriors were promised US$2 250 each by Zifa, if they qualify for the quarter-finals, and by late last night, they were still waiting to get their bonuses.

The Warriors have already won US$175 000 for qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Winners of this year’s competition will pocket US$750 000.

Caf gave a breakdown of the prize money from the winners down to the teams that finished bottom of their groups.
Gorowa and his men could find themselves earning US$250 000 if they overcome the Eagles and go as far as the third and fourth places at Cape Town Stadium.

And should they make it into the final, but come out as runners-up, the Warriors will be guaranteed US$400 000.
Hosts South Africa could only manage a third-place finish in Group A and earned US$125 000, about R1,4 million, and reports say the whole amount will be shared by the players and their technical team.

The meeting between Zimbabwe and Mali will be the fifth between the two teams with the Warriors having won twice and losing once while the other match ended in a draw.

In the first meeting, the Warriors won 1-0 at the National Sports Stadium with Lazarus Muhoni scoring in September 2002, while the reverse fixture in Bamako ended in a goalless draw.

The Warriors were then under Sunday Chidzambwa.
In March 2011, Zimbabwe lost 1-0 to Mali as Cheick Diabate scored while Knowledge Musona’s brace handed the Warriors a 2-1 victory at Rufaro in the return leg of the Group A African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

But this is the first clash between the cream of the two country’s Premier Leagues.
Gorowa said he was likely to make a few changes to his squad that beat Burkina Faso 1-0 at Athlone on Monday.
“We need to look at each game differently.

“In this case we have to look at how Mali play and I will have to sit down with members of my technical team and come up with the players,” said Gorowa.

The Warriors held a training session at the match venue last night and Gorowa confirmed Charles Sibanda is a doubtful starter for this game.

“Charles Sibanda started in the game against Burkina Faso but he is now injured and it means that we could make some changes,” Gorowa said.

“To be honest, we have to look closely at Mali, who have done well. I think we have done that by watching some of their games.
“So far we have done well at this tournament but our problem has been in scoring goals.”

Masimba Mambare’s goal against Burkina Faso remains Zimbabwe’s only goal at the tournament after the other Group B matches against Morocco and Uganda finished in goalless draws.

While Zimbabwe has been failing to convert chances, the Warriors have been resolute in defence where goalkeeper George Chigova is yet to concede a goal.

Chigova is the last man in defence where skipper Patson Jaure, Eric Chipeta, Hardlife Zvirekwi and Milton Ncube had been providing him with cover. “If we can improve on scoring then we can do better but at the same time we have to be cautious against Mali,” said Gorowa.
“Sometimes it’s good to have the confidence but we do want to remain with our feet on the ground.

“We cannot celebrate that we have reached the quarter-finals, and take it as an achievement, but we need to be focused and strive to do better.”

The bright spot in the Warriors attack has been provided by winger Kuda Mahachi, who has illuminated the tournament with his exceptional skills and he is likely to be the key man tonight.

Mahachi has been unplayable, when he is in full flow, and was unlucky not to get a goal against Burkina Faso when his powerful shot produced an outstanding save from the ‘keeper.

Peter “Rio” Moyo looks set to keep his place in midfield after a good performance in the last game.
Gorowa’s biggest task is to either stick with Simba Sithole (How Mine), who struggled with his game after being promoted into the first team against the Burkinabe or bring back his namesake, from Dynamos, who has also struggled for goals.

CHAN prize breakdown:
Winner     US$750,000
Runner-Up    US$400,000
3rd & 4th    US$250,000

Quarter Final
Losers        US$175,000
3rd in Group    US$125,000
4th in Group    US$100,000

TOTAL    US$ 3 250 000