Warriors star Marshal Munetsi says he is prepared to face Bafana Bafana and he is expecting to help his side get a “winning start” when they host South Africa in a World Cup opening qualifier at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow afternoon.
The match, which kicks off at 3pm, will be played behind closed doors because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Munetsi says the available squad should favour those that could not make it by beating Bafana Bafana.
“I was not part of the last group that ensured that we qualified for the Afcon but those that were there did the job for us. We just want to return the favour,” Munetsi said.
“I have been speaking to some of them and they have been motivating me a lot. We just have to play for those that could not make it for this match. I know Marve (Nakamba) badly wanted to be here with us, and Tendayi has always been talking about this qualifying World Cup campaign, but unfortunately they could not be here with us.”
“Camp has been good seeing my fellow brothers, it’s been a while since I have been with the team. The mood is amazing everybody is looking forward to the game, so it’s good for us.”
Despite missing several players, Munetsi said the depleted Warriors squad is still good enough to shock South Africa.
“Every player in camp is good and I’m sure all the players that have been called by the coach deserve to be here.”
The 25-year-old will be meeting a lot of familiar faces in the Bafana Bafana squad, having spent four years playing in South Africa.
“That makes this battle so exciting. I spent a couple of years in South Africa and most of the guys I know them very well, so we always talk about this game. So it’s a kind of a derby match which we need to win for so many reasons,” Munetsi said.
He stressed the need to start the World Cup qualifying campaign on a positive note.
Meanwhile, Munetsi is returning to the Zimbabwe squad for the first time since September 2019 when he featured for the team in a World Cup preliminary qualifier against Somalia at home.
He scored the opening goal in that match which ended in a 3-1 win for the Warriors to progress to the group stage qualifiers.
COVID-19 travel restrictions meant that he missed the team’s 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. Coach Zdravko Logarušic’s men still managed to clinch a ticket to the Afcon finals set for January next year.
While the former Orlando Pirates star and fellow France-based countryman Tino Kadewere were released by their clubs for the upcoming international matches, there was no joy for several UK-based Warriors players including regulars Marvelous Nakamba and Tendayi Darikwa who were barred by their clubs from travelling.
