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Ian Gorowa

Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
WARRIORS coach Ian Gorowa says his troops are carrying a positive attitude, as they leave for South Africa this morning, and want to go all the way to the final in the African Nations Championships. The tournament gets underway on Saturday. The Zimbabwe delegation is expected to leave for Johannesburg this morning, around 7:00am, and will be hoping to have their first training session on South African soil this afternoon.

They will play Gabon in a friendly match tomorrow and then fly out to Cape Town the following day where they will be based for the group stages of the tournament.

The team is also scheduled to play Ajax Cape Town on Thursday as part of their preparations.
The Warriors wrapped up their preparations yesterday with a closed-door practice match against domestic Premiership kings Dynamos at Gwanzura.

Zimbabwe are in Group B with North African giants Morocco, the Cranes of Uganda and West Africans Burkina Faso.
The Warriors are one of the seeded sides by virtue of being one of the few countries that have managed to qualify for every final of this tournament since it began five years ago.

Uganda made their debut at the last edition in Sudan in 2011, where they lost all three games but Morocco and Burkina Faso will be playing at the tournament for the first time in South Africa.

Zimbabwe crashed out in the group stages on both occasions at the 2009 and in 2011 tournaments.
However, Gorowa yesterday said his side was fired up to turn around their fortunes in their third appearance at the tournament, which is exclusively for the home-based players.

Gorowa believes Zimbabwe are now geared up for the tournament and said they will treat all the teams with respect in a group he feels will be tough.

“We are ready,” said Gorowa.
“All the teams there are tough and it’s going to be tough for everyone. But I have told the players that we are going there to win.
“The aim is just to do well and everyone in the camp knows what is at stake. So I don’t think I really have to motivate them.
“We just need to go there and push, push, push and win.”

The Warriors are unbeaten since Gorowa took over as coach last year.
Zimbabwe will open their account at the CHAN tournament on Sunday against the Atlas Lions of Morocco.
The Warriors squad has been in camp for the last three weeks as Gorowa and his two assistants Callisto Pasuwa and Mkhupali Masuku intensified their preparations with emphasis on field drills and fitness training.

Zimbabwe were hoping to wind up their preparations before departure with an international friendly match against Libya at the weekend but the tie was called off after the North Africans indicated they were not able to make a stopover in Harare on their way to South Africa.
Gorowa’s men, however, have an international friendly game pencilled for tomorrow against Gabon at the Rand Stadium.

The Warriors yesterday had their final home workout when they engaged Dynamos at Gwanzura despite the wet morning conditions.
Gorowa said he was impressed by the session as he wanted to test his players on match fitness. “It can get better. It was our first game. Today (yesterday) we were not really looking at combinations and all that,” said Gorowa.

“We were looking more at match fitness than anything, of which we are happy with that.
“The training in the last two weeks was good. The response was very good although we could have wanted to have more time but I think the time we had was okay.

“We are fit. The thing is we wanted more games, we go there, we play Gabon, that’s another game, then we play Ajax Cape Town and I think we will be okay.”

Zimbabwe finished third in their group at the last tournament when they won once and lost two in a group that also involved South Africa, Ghana and Niger.

Team manager Shariff Mussa said the Warriors did their best during their three weeks in camp and is hoping for a positive outing.
Mussa said the travel arrangements were in order but appealed to the nation to support the team in its mission as the Warriors are not well-resourced.

The team received a US$88 000 cash injection from the Government last week and had another boost from CBZ Holdings who chipped in with air tickets to the value of US$14 000.

“Obviously, we need the nation’s support in everything, be it on the field of play and other off-field materials that can assist the team.
“The aim is to bring back home good results and to make the nation proud.

“We have had individuals coming here and there to help and we are grateful for that. We are still calling out to more individuals and the business community to help these guys with incentives so that they work harder in their efforts to bring the Cup home,” said Mussa.