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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter

WARRIORS defender Alec Mudimu is walking with a spring in his step after helping his Georgian football club Torpedo Kutaisi avoid relegation last weekend.

Torpedo Kutaisi needed to overturn a 0-2 loss at the hands of rivals Merani Martvilli to stay afloat.

And before a packed home stadium at Ramaz Shengelias Sakhelobis Stadioni, the Giorgi Tsetsadze-coached side battled to breach the Merani unyielding resistance with the fans growing anxious.

It was not until the 64th minute when Mate Tsintsadze opened the scoring against the ultra-defensive Merani to give some hope to the home team.

But it was the Merani fans, who were growing more vociferous in the stands with their team holding on to that slender 2-1 aggregate lead, which would have condemned Mudimu’s side to the second tier.

But, the Zimbabwean, who until the weekend had not scored a goal for his team, rose highest to put away a firm header with just three minutes of regulation time remaining to force the encounter to go into extra-time.

The 26-year-old Zimbabwean again showed his gallantry in the extra period, blocking the intermittent counter raids by the opponents as his team literally pitched camp in the opposition’s half.

Mudimu was then involved in the process that resulted in Tomike Akhvlediani 102nd minute goal that effectively sealed their survival in the Georgian top-flight.

The Zimbabwean defender is one of the only two Africans playing for Torpedo Kutaisi along with Ghanaian Samuel Inkoom.

So excited is the Zimbabwean centre-half he posted a sarcastic message on his Facebook wall that read: “Them: Mission Impossible, Me: Completed it,” in a clear indication that his team had been tipped to go down but they were saved by their amazing fighting spirit in the field of play on Sunday.

“History in the making. What a team effort and what a way to win, what a match and what a day . . . ” continued Mudimu.

The victory could spur Mudimu ahead of the AFCON finals to be played in Cameroon between January 9 and February 6 next year.

Although the European Club Association yesterday wrote to CAF, through FIFA, expressing their intention to withhold African players based in Europe during the AFCON finals, the continental football mother-body is expected to resist the proposal and Mudimu will be one of the players expected to lead Zimbabwe’s quest for glory in Cameroon.

With several key players, including the injured duo of Marshal Munetsi and Marvelous Nakamba as well as Tendayi Darikwa rulled out of the tournament, the likes of Mudimu will be expected to bring the much-needed experience into the Warriors squad.

Mudimu has regained interim coach Norman Mapeza’s faith after a string of decent performances.

He had been reduced to a bench-warmer by the ousted Croatian gaffer Zdravko Logarusic who preferred to partner Teenage Hadebe and Jimmy Dzingai at the heart of defence.

But with Dzingai spending the better part of the year club-hunting, it is Mudimu who has played most of his team’s games who will be expected to stabilise the Warriors’ defensive shield in Cameroon next month.

He will be competing for the jersey with Onismor Bhasera, Kelvin Madzongwe, Gerald Takwara and Hadebe.

The national team has already been put on paper but Mapeza is yet to announce the team in the face of the bickering between the suspended ZIFA Board and the Sports Commission.

The team is expected to be announced any day from now with camp scheduled to begin two days before Christmas Day in Harare.

Mapeza, who has failed to win any game, including against Ethiopia at home, has been entrusted with leading the team at the fiesta and without some key players, including the retired Khama Billiat, he will have to dig even deeper.

Zimbabwe are in Group B along with Senegal, Guinea and Malawi.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s midfield dynamo Nakamba, who turns out for English Premiership side Aston Villa, has been effectively ruled out of the AFCON finals after picking a serious knee injury in the weekend’s match against Liverpool and his manager, Steven Gerrard, said he is likely to be sidelined ‘’for some months’’.

Gerrard said Nakamba’s knee needs surgery and this might force the Zimbabwean midfielder to miss the rest of the season.

  Marvelous Nakamba’s injury timeline

Injury: Knee.

Target return date: In a “number’’ of month’s time according to Gerrard.

What we know: Nakamba has been in fine form since Gerrard’s arrival last month but picked up an injury against Liverpool.

What Gerrard said: “We need to now make the best decision which is really frustrating and disappointing because he has been outstanding but we’ll give him every bit of support and care to get him back as safe as possible.”