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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

LEGENDARY former Warriors skipper Peter Ndlovu believes the Warriors stand a chance against Senegal when the two teams meet in the opening match of the 2021 AFCON tournament in Cameroon this afternoon.

Ndlovu, who led the first Zimbabwe side to qualify for the AFCON finals in 2004 (in Tunisia) said coach Norman Mapeza and his charges should not be intimidated by the big names in the Senegalese squad, highlighted by in-form Liverpool forward Sadio Mane.

The ex-Coventry City forward said it will be tragic for the Warriors to show too much respect to their opponents on the pitch despite going onto the pitch as underdogs. He believes a good result this afternoon could set the tone for the tournament.

“Guns should come out. Of course we can respect Senegal as a team but at the end of the day on the field of play we must not have that kind of respect,” said Ndlovu.

“We must get to do our job; it may be the name (Senegal) but at the end of the day our country is at stake. So if we win that then we send in a big message to the big guns and they will wake up.

“We just need to clap somebody and hopefully it’s going to be Senegal because they are in our way. Good luck to the boys, good luck to Norman. We are behind you, the country is behind you,” he said.

Ndlovu, who is the brand ambassador for South Africa-based funeral repatriation service provider, Zororo-Phumulani, was speaking at the send-off of Warriors Super Fan Chris Romario Muskeiwa to Cameroon to support the Warriors.

He said the Warriors needed to keep a clean sheet in the first half and try to frustrate their opponents when they return for the final 45 minutes.

“I am sure Norman (Mapeza) and the guys right now have done their assignments. They have seen how the other team play therefore, all that is left is for them to go and execute the given instructions on the field. At this moment, the boys should actually relax because they haven’t lost the match.

“I have had a brief chat with Norman and I told him Norman you played football. You know how you used to be taught, you know how you used to be coached under the legendary Sunday Marimo (Chidzambwa) and all the coaches like (Reinhard) Fabisch.

“They used to just say relax when you play and the good thing is I didn’t forget to remind him on something to say any great team, whether small or big, when you keep the score at 0-0 in the first half you have a chance of winning in the second half.

“So should we say we have 0-0 first half I know Norman and our boys can do wonders. We have got the capacity, we have got the players and we have got the energy,” said Ndlovu.

He said the Warriors should do it for the 15 million fans back home, who will be rooting behind the team in Group B, where they also face Malawi this Friday and Guinea next week.

“We are speaking about Romario (going to Cameroon) now, it’s unbelievable that when as players you run out of the tunnel and you look at the stands, even if there’s only one of your supporters it means that we are saying guys we should be performing for this guy before we actually think of performing for the nation to make sure that his feeling is good and great.

“So it would be good to take Romario there and then his presence will be the 12th men. The whole of Zimbabwe will then become the 13th man. So we have got an injection in every department.

“So good luck to Romario we hope your presence will motivate the boys, having travelled all the way to support the guys. To me you don’t become a supporter, you become a brother within.

“You are the 12th player, a very important player for that matter. This is all possible and courtesy of Zororo-Phumulani, powered by Doves. I am a proud ambassador to be associated with the brand because they have been the first of a kind to make sure I am recognized while I am still alive,” said Ndlovu.