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Sunday Chidzambwa

Petros Kausiyo in SUN CITY, South Africa
AFTER watching Zimbabwe power to an emphatic victory over Mozambique in their opening COSAFA Castle Cup assignment, Madagascar coach Auguste Raux has installed the Warriors as favourites in Group B and believes the winner of their showdown tonight will advance to the quarter-finals.

Zimbabwe and Madagascar both got their 2017 campaigns off to a head start with the Warriors thumping Mozambique 4-0 while Madagascar saw off Seychelles 2-0.

The two sides will now square off at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium this afternoon (5pm). That clash will precede the second Group B match today at the same venue between Mozambique and Seychelles.

But for Raux, a long-serving coach who has had an on-and-off relationship with Madagascar since 2001, said their clash against Zimbabwe will be the group decider.

“The first games are never easy and we needed to do our best to beat Seychelles. They are a good team who needed to prove something. We also saw Zimbabwe play Mozambique and they are a strong team.

“We know that Zimbabwe will really be tough and for me it is like Zimbabwe have the advantage because of their big win today,’’ Raux said.

Madagascar are also high on confidence having won in their last six international assignments including last night’s win over Seychelles. Two of their most stunning wins this year have come via a 3-1 victory over Sudan away in the African Cup of Nations qualifier while they also posted identical 1-0 wins over Malawi in the CHAN first round qualifier.

The Warriors shot to the top of their table on goal difference. Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa has challenged his players to turn on another combined team effort and overcome Madagascar. “We need to take each game as it comes. We have a game every other two days and we must focus on the tournament on a game by game basis and see how far we go,” Chidzambwa said.

Today’s game is a repeat of last year’s encounter between the two sides at the same stage in Windhoek, Namibia in which Madagascar frustrated Callisto Pasuwa’s men to a goalless draw.

Madagascar had won 1-0 over Seychelles in their first game while the Warriors had also been restricted to a 2-2 draw by Swaziland in their 2016 opener.

Although Chidzambwa is cautiously confident of his team’s chances, his players believe they have struck the chord and are confident of sweeping past both Madagascar and Seychelles.

The veteran coach is unlikely to tinker with the team that started in the demolition job on Mozambique. But one man who is ready to welcome yet another chance to feature for the Warriors is Herentals striker Blessing Majarira.

The 28-year-old forward rose from the bench to mark his Warriors debut with a fine goal that sealed Zimbabwe’s comprehensive victory over Mozambique.

Majarira was sent clear on goal following a neat exchange of passes initiated from the centre by Gerald Takwara and had the presence of mind to place the ball beyond Mozambique goalkeeper Antonio Joao Muquetua.

For a striker who not so long ago was playing social football, Majarira is now determined to make the most of his remaining time in the game.

He also revealed that he would want to use the experience gained from the COSAFA to help inspire Herentals to promotion into the Premiership, indicating that his club coach had hinted to him that he was on the radar of the national selectors.

“I was not really surprised when I was called to the national team because my club coach had hinted to me that I might be considered for the national duty. Now I just want to keep on improving and doing my best whenever I am given the chance and I am very excited at having scored in my first game,’’ Majarira said.

Skipper Ovidy Karuru, who led the rout over the Mambas with a fine brace either side of the break, also hailed the Warriors “team performance’’.

“I am happy with the goals it was all down to great teamwork because I wouldn’t have scored the goals alone. “I think it was a great team performance for players who only had two days to train at home before we came here. “I am sure we can do better going forward,” Karuru said.

Karuru, who is negotiating a contract extension with South African First Division side AmaZulu, has also not ruled out a possible return to the ABSA Premiership with the 28-year-old midfielder looking to use the COSAFA tournament as a platform to take his career back to the elite league.

With the Warriors walking with a spring in their step, Madagascar’s resurgence could be brought to a halt tonight what with Talent Chawapiwa and 18-year-old Yadah Stars rookie Leeroy Mavunga also showing signs of exploding in this tournament.