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Petros Kausiyo in CAPE TOWN, South Africa
AS  the Warriors woke up to the reality that they had written their own piece of history by qualifying for their first African Nations Championships quarter-finals, Zifa yesterday sent a passionate plea to the Government and the corporate world to chip in with incentives for Ian Gorowa’s men.

The Warriors booked their maiden place in the CHAN last eight on Monday night after beating Burkina Faso in their last Group B match at Athlone.

Zimbabwe could have finished top of the group but an inferior goal difference meant they completed the round robin fixtures with the same number of points – five – as leaders Morocco but having scored fewer goals.

Zifa chief executive, Jonathan Mashingaidze, yesterday revealed the association’s excitement and relief after the Warriors’ success and said they had immediately begun follow-up meetings with the Government, through the Sports Commission, for financial support and incentives for the senior team.

Mashingaidze said they had sent out an SOS to the corporate world as the US$88 000, which was availed by Government, had been meant to cater for the Warriors upkeep for the pre-tournament camping and up to the end of the group stages.

“We have already engaged SRC and Government for incentives and support because their initial assistance was to cover up to the group stages but they had made a provision that we could come back to them and we will have follow up meetings again this afternoon (yesterday),” said Mashingaidze.

“It (the Warriors victory) is a commendable and historic feat by the boys, especially given the pressure that had come with the dry spell in recent international competitions.

“This result shows that we are ready to take off and with resources permitting I think our national teams can do well.
“We believe that the foundation is there. We also want to thank the Government and those corporates that have supported us so far as well the Zifa president (Cuthbert Dube) for shouldering the bulk of the campaign from the qualifiers up to now.”

Zifa, Mashingaidze said, are now hoping to use the CHAN to turn on a new leaf for the national team which had the ignominy of finishing the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign without a win and also failed to defend the Cosafa Senior challenge Cup after losing to Zambia in the final in Ndola last year.