Zimpapers Logo

praying for a chance to feature for the Warriors in Cape Verde and, having been granted his wish, now believes it’s their destiny to qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup finals.
The 22-year-old midfielder has battled gallantly to recover from a partial tear in his ankle, which initially threw his availability for the big match in Cape Verde on Saturday into doubt, and credits it all to the prayers he put into his mission to feature in that tie.

With medical experts at his French club even expressing doubt, about his chances of playing for Zimbabwe in Cape Verde this weekend, Karuru put everything into his faith and his prayers have been answered with the midfielder being cleared for Saturday’s epic clash.
Yesterday, as Karuru prepared to leave his French base for the Warriors’ final assault on Praia, he told The Herald he was certain the national team will triumph on the Atlantic Ocean island because he feels it’s this team’s destiny to play in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Karuru has been the stand-out player for the Warriors in the past two Nations Cup qualifiers with man-of-the-match shows against Mali and Liberia, where the national team emerged triumphant, to claw their way back into contention for a place at the 2012 Nations Cup finals.
The US Boulogne midfielder created the first goal for Knowledge Musona and won the late penalty, converted by the Smiling Assassin, in the 2-1 win over Mali, while he also created the first goal, converted by Willard Katsande, and headed home the insurance second goal in the 3-1 victory over Liberia.

Karuru said he was now feeling in good shape after the injury almost ended his 2012 Nations Cup campaign prematurely.
That would have been cruel on coach Norman Mapeza who also missed his star forward, Musona, on a tough away assignment in Mali, which the Warriors lost 0-1, and against Liberia at home, through injury.
“I’m feeling a lot better now,” said Karuru as he prepared for the flight to Lisbon, Portugal, where he was set to meet with Musona, flying in from Germany, and Vusa Nyoni, coming in from Belgium, for the direct flight to Praia in Cape Verde.

“I was training last week and should be okay.”
Karuru revealed that he had prayed long and hard to get a chance to play for the Warriors in this big match and he was happy that his prayers had been answered.
The midfielder sends out this signal of a man who has turned to God, for everything that is happening in his life, and now and again, as you talk to him, he finds time to thank the Lord.
It’s his deep religious faith that appears to have won him the battle against injury, even when medical experts were doubting that he could make it to play on Saturday, and he believes it’s the fate of his generation of Warriors to qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup finals.

“We will win (in Cape Verde), no two ways about it,” he said, as confident as anyone could ever say that, in a game known for its unpredictability, especially on a continent where home teams have been known to alter the playing field to gain an advantage.
“”Tirikufira mu ground.”

But a win, which this group of Warriors can steal in Cape Verde, might still not be enough to take them to the 2012 Nations Cup finals if Mali beat Liberia in Monrovia, in a game that has already been tainted by allegations of match-fixing involving the two nations.
Liberia, who crashed out when they lost 0-3 to the Warriors, are unbeaten at home in the current qualifiers and held Zimbabwe to a 1-1 draw before beating Cape Verde 1-0.

The Lone Star were also controversially beaten 1-2 in Bamako by Mali.
Something, it appears, is telling Karuru that Mali will find it virtually impossible to win in Monrovia.
“Mali will not beat Liberia,” said the midfielder. “The best they can get there is a draw.”

Such an outcome will suit us as fine, as long as we win in Cape Verde against a team that did not only beat both Mali and Liberia in their backyard but, famously, held Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portuguese teammates to a goalless draw in an international friendly.
Certainly, this group of Warriors has grown into a competitive team and that probably explains the confidence coming from Karuru and those who were in Bamako say they deserve more than a point in Mali with

Nyasha Mushekwi being pulled back in the penalty area, when going for the kills, only to be rewarded with a yellow card instead of a penalty.
The Warriors certainly deserved better than a point in Monrovia but were punished when goalkeeper Washington Arubi banked on the referee to blow for a push, a call that never came, in the lead up to the home team’s equaliser.

Karuru calmed the nerves of the fans who feel their star midfielder might crumble, with his injury taking its toll, on Saturday.
“They don’t have to worry, God is in control and I will be fine,” said Karuru. “We will do our best and God will handle the rest.
“God will take us there (2012 Nations Cup finals).”

But how has Karuru suddenly transformed himself into the outstanding player in the Warriors’ midfield?
“I always tell myself that I’m not the best but I have to do my best when I get the chance and I feel I am doing just that,” said the midfielder.

He said his generation of Warriors needed to display their talents at a big tournament and the 2012 Nations Cup finals was coming just at the right time.
“It will be a good opportunity for most of us to showcase what we have in our country in terms of football talent,” said Karuru.

It has been a long two weeks for the midfielder but the power of his faith has taken him through his injury concerns.
Hopefully, the power of his faith will also take his golden generation of Warriors across the line come Saturday.