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| Sports |
| Tough mission for Flames |
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by
Garry Chirwa in Harare, Zimbabwe , 03 October 2003
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16:37:13
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Down to the bone. Realistically, Flames’ juicy ambitions for regional glory appear to have dried up, but Alan Gillett still insisted Friday that his troops have a healthy appetite for Sunday’s Cosafa Castle Cup second leg final against Zimbabwe’s Warriors at National Sports Stadium.
The Flames need a shot of something in the nerves to upset the Warriors as the nightmare scenario of a second successive Castle Cup final defeat looks imminent following their 2-1 first leg defeat last Saturday.
Despite the 75 percent fuel rise announcement on Thursday, the flavour of the final was overwhelming in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare on Friday.
For a change, in bars, buses, supermarkets and streets the talk was not about the scarcity of cooking oil and other basic needs—it had switched to football.
As the Flames drove to their Holiday Inn camp from Harare International Airport, high spirited and enthusiastic fans set the intimidation wheel spinning by jeering at the Flames’ team bus as it passed along the streets and the visibly unnerved Malawian players responded with broad smiles.
Gillett said Friday that his charges will emerge into the stadium seething with passion, hope and expectation.
“We haven’t flown the white flag yet. There is so much optimism from the home fans but we will begin the match with more passion and fire,” said Gillett as he wiped sweat from his face.
The noose has tightened around Gillett’s neck after last weekend’s defeat but he insisted that his team will shake off talk of naivety on Sunday.
“Victory has filled the Warriors’ nostrils, we cannot deny that fact. But we have nothing to lose, we will charge at them like wounded buffaloes and see what we can get in the end,” said the coach.
The Flames are painfully aware that they will have to keep the engines running until literally the last gasp in front of an intimidating atmosphere. They need to score at least two goals against none or emerge 3-1 victors to win the cup.
Gillett said that there will be some changes in the line-up that was thrown into service in Blantyre as he looks forward to a top drawer display from his men who are down but perhaps not out..
“Essau Kanyenda is not here and Peter Mgangira was not comfortable playing in the wings. Patrick Mabedi will be available so there are bound to be some changes,” he said.
Gangling forward Russell Mwafulirwa, who has soared to dizzying heights in recent games as Flames’ crackshot, is expected to lead the Flames onslaught.
Extravagantly gifted midfielder Peter Mponda is expected to patrol the midfield aided by equally enterprising Robert ‘Baggio’ Ng’ambi and Joseph Kamwendo who majestically turned the game around when they were thrown in last weekend.
Make no mistake, it will be a lot tougher for the Flames but with Kamwendo, Ng’ambi, Mponda, Kenan ‘Anong’a’ Kondowe and veteran John Maduka in full flight, it could prove to be a tough sweltering afternoon for the hosts.
But perhaps the most assuring sight will be that of the ‘General’—Mabedi, who will be hoping to lead the team to victory.
The Flames were expected to go for a work-out Friday afternoon at the National Sports Stadium’s B Arena to loosen up.
Zimbabwe’s team manager Rafiq Adam said in interview that his team is not throwing caution to the wind.
“We won the first 90 minutes away and there is another 90 minutes to play...what can stop Malawi from doing the same right in Zimbabwe?
“It’s a very tricky fixture for us and we have to be very careful from the word go, the match hasn’t been won yet and from the way Malawi played in the first leg, they can easily pull a surprise,” said Adam—bold words indeed.
Basking in the euphoria of having won the first leg through debutante Albert Mbano’s strike, the Warriors will further be boosted by the availability of their England-based skipper Peter Ndlovu, his elder brother Adam who is based in South Africa and Mabedi’s team mate at Kaizer Chiefs Tinashe Nengomasha—all the three missed the first leg in Blantyre due to club commitments.
Peter is expected in the country at around noon, just three hours before the game, Adam joined the Warriors on Wednesday evening while Nengomasha will arrive alongside Mabedi Sunday morning.
The Flames are expected to get the feel of the venue of the match Saturday afternoon.
The winners of the competition will get a cool R550,000 (about K8.2 million) while the runners-up will pocket R280,000 (about K4.2 million). |
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