Zimbabwe: Warriors Draw Strength From Setbacks As Cosafa Hopes Remain Alive

The Warriors know exactly what's at stake tomorrow, and the pressure has only intensified after Morocco's first pack was stunned by Burkina Faso in a 2-0 defeat during a friendly match on Friday.

Despite fielding several senior players who ply their trade abroad, they lost their opening fixture and are now preparing to face Niger in another friendly.

Back at the COSAFA Cup in South Africa, the Warriors find themselves in a complex but not hopeless situation as they haven't won a match yet, but mathematically, they still stand a chance of making it to the semi-finals.

The group is tight, the margins razor-thin and belief that vital ingredient still burns brightly within the Zimbabwean camp.

From the first two matches, Zimbabwe drew 0-0 with Mauritius and lost 2-0 to South Africa.

Meanwhile, Mozambique currently tops the group after beating South Africa and drawing with Mauritius.

This leaves the group wide open, with every team still in contention to qualify.

That belief was clearly on display during yesterday's spirited training session the mood was sharp, focused and filled with quiet determination.

There was a visible boost in morale with the return of Tinotenda Meke who had missed the second match due to a flu bug that had affected the camp and his presence brought much-needed energy and a creative spark the team had been lacking.

With everything still to play for, the Warriors head into tomorrow's decisive clash knowing that nothing less than a win will be enough. The challenge is steep but the pride runs deeper.

This COSAFA squad is largely made up of Under-23 players, many of whom are expected to feature in next year's Olympic qualifiers.

Young talents like Junior Mukunike, Panashe Mutasa, Thando Ngwenya and Allan Chapinduka are growing in confidence with each game, proudly wearing the national team jersey.

Tomorrow, Zimbabwe's Warriors will carry not just their own ambitions, but the hopes of a nation eager to see them rise again as they take on Mozambique at 15:00 hrs.

Read the original article on 263Chat.