Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MANICA Diamonds’ roving left back, Farai Banda, believes the Warriors have what it takes to make an impressive start in their Group J Africa Cup of Nations 2025 qualifying campaign when they face tricky customers, Hararambee Stars of Kenya at the Mandela Stadium in Uganda today (Friday).
This marks the start of the qualifiers to determine the 24 teams that will contest in the 35th edition of Africa’s biggest sporting spectacle set to take place in the North African nation of Morocco between December 21, 2025 and January 18, 2026.
Group J of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification is one of the 12 groups that will decide which teams will qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final tournament in Morocco.
The group consists of four teams: Cameroon, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe — which will play against each other in a home-and-away round-robin format between September and November 2024.
The two teams — the Warriors and Harambee Stars — kick-off their campaign for the road to Morocco today, and the Warriors will be back in action at the same venue four days later, up against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.
Banda (31), who came in as a last minute replacement for injured defender, Brandon Galloway, will be making his first appearance for the Warriors in an Africa Cup of Nations assignment after featuring for the national team in a COSAFA assignment.
Galloway’s unavailability was confirmed last weekend, and the Manica Diamonds fullback left for Uganda on Tuesday along with fellow defender, Teenage Hadebe.
The rest of the Warriors squad called up for camp arrived in the Ugandan capital of Kampala on Monday, except for Marshall Munetsi, Munashe Garananga and Jordan Zemura — who were expected in the Great Lakes Region country on Wednesday morning.
The trio was involved in league matches with their clubs in Europe last Sunday and were unavailable when the Warriors held their first training session in Uganda on Monday.
The former Buffaloes and Black Rhinos defender, Banda, whose exciting ball control and vision are ample evidence of a talented player who has just been unlucky in his career not to find his way into lucrative foreign leagues, said the Warriors have a fair chance of making it to the Morocco Africa Cup of Nations finals.
Banda said he feels honoured by the recognition and will do all he can to justify his inclusion, given a chance to play.
“It is an honour for every player to be given a chance to play for the national team. It is every player’s dream and I am no exception. I was really excited by the call up. This is the reason why I feel the urge to give my all if I am ever given a chance to play. I will surely have to justify my inclusion,” said Banda.
“I have no doubt that the Warriors have what it takes to make an impressive start in Group J. Yes, we will be facing some formidable teams, but I think we are a squad with depth. The experience on the technical bench headed by coach, Micheal Nees is top notch,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kenya coach, Engin Firat believes Khama Billiat’s return to the Warriors fold poses a huge threat to the Harambee Stars’ Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Billiat came out of international retirement after lengthy conversations with new Warriors coach, Michael Nees, and the German mentor immediately drafted the former Kaizer Chiefs star in the Warriors squad — a development which worries Firat.
“Zimbabwe has no squad problems, all players are fit, all of them are back. Not only this, even players who did not come before, they come back, like Khama Billiat, who is a very good player, someone who came from retirement, and also other players with a new coach,” Firat told Kenyan media ahead of the clash.
“He has the possibility to get them back, so they will come with a very strong squad, we know it. But we know this team also, so therefore, it will be very tough, we will see,” he added.
Billiat, who returned to local football after a glittering career spanning over a decade in South Africa, has netted 10 goals for Yadah FC in the local premiership.
