The Warriors Take On Egypt in AFCON Opener

By Knowledge Muneri

The Warriors have settled into Morocco's biting winter and are down to their final touches as they prepare for their Africa Cup of Nations opener against Egypt at the Stade d'Agadir tomorrow night. Zimbabwe, drawn in Group B alongside the Pharaohs, South Africa, and Angola, will open their campaign against Egypt for the third time in 21 years.

The team moved base to Agadir from Casablanca, where they had camped since arriving in Morocco last Tuesday. They held an initial training session after the road trip and will round off preparations with focused drills today before tomorrow's clash with the Egyptians.

The Warriors have a history of narrow losses against Egypt in the AFCON, and coach Marian "Mario" Marinica is determined to steer the team away from familiar endings. Marinica knows the opening match can shape the entire campaign and is keen to make a strong impression.

Marinica, who guided Malawi to the Round of 16 at the 2021 AFCON finals, understands the terrain well and admits Group B is loaded with quality. However, he insists that Zimbabwe's underdog status should not weigh on his players.

"We are going to compete. We have a strategy that we will implement as a team. We are not just there to participate. We need to compete," Marinica said.

The Warriors suffered a late setback when midfielder Andy Rinomhota withdrew from camp due to family issues. However, Captain Marvelous Nakamba is rallying his teammates to give their best against Egypt and give the campaign real momentum