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Grace Chingoma Sports Reporter
ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa yesterday met for the first time with the Warriors’ foreign legion since he was ushered into office and challenged the team to win their back-to-back matches so that sponsors will come on aboard to partner the team.

Chiyangwa, together with Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhosini Hlongwane visited the Warriros during their training session at the National Sports Stadium with the pair later addressing the squad.

“It is my singular honour and pleasure to welcome all of you. Some of you, I have not met you.

“I just read names in the newspapers of players doing very well, overseas and in South Africa but I think the choice made by the technical team is of the best that we have in this country.

“But it is important when you have such national duty to perform extremely well better than you have been doing elsewhere. Better than you have been doing Khama Billiat at Mamelodi Sundowns, Willard better and you Rusike better, everyone is going to be watching you guys.

“What you do here will also enable me and for the sponsors to put money because once you don’t do well and continue on the losing path then there is an issue,” said Chiyangwa.

The ZIFA president pledged his support for the welfare of the players and said he was working tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure they are well catered for.

“I believe winning against Swaziland there and winning here is all that Zimbabwe expects and I am doing the best that I can in the background to ensure that you are happy.

“I would be talking to the technical team at some point so that all is sorted and everyone is happy so that the games in Swaziland and back home are played with happiness and joy,” Chiyangwa said.

Chiyangwa also spoke about the match-fixing allegations and encouraged his players to inform the relevant authorities whenever they were approached by the match fixers.

“You are very much aware that prior to you coming through there has been talk about match fixing and etc. It was something that just caught me unaware that people were plotting to fix the matches against Swaziland and I advised my Minister.

“We are still processing the information to establish where this came from and how it has been going on. I trust that these are your careers and if somebody approaches you with a possibility to give you more money you will inform us,” he said.

Hlongwane also rallied the team and said they should easily get past Sihlangu.

“Obviously we should be able to win against Swaziland I am assuming that, that is not a difficult game especially for all these stars that are here and on Monday we finish the job here in Harare.

“Basically, I am here to wish you the best in your travel tomorrow and the game in Swaziland is concerned. We should be able to give everything what we have for the good of our country and we know that we have done it before and we should be able to do it again and dispense very easily against Swaziland,” said Hlongwane.