Zimbabwe Warriors Move to New Home
The players had a feel of their new home with all the players called for this weekend’s match against Mozambique reporting for duty
HARARE — The Zimbabwe national soccer team on Wednesday started a new life at their new home - Barbourfields Stadium. The Warriors have relocated from Harare’s Rufaro Stadium to Barbourfields in Bulawayo which they will use for all their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as well as future international matches. The players had a feel of their new home with all the players called for this weekend’s match against Mozambique reporting for duty as coach Ian Gorowa builds his team for next month’s African Nations Championships in South Africa. Assistant coach Kalisto Pasuwa says the team had a morning training session at the match venue and appeared satisfied with the quality of the pitch. But the team will have a clear idea whether their new home will prove a good hunting ground after the match against the Mambas who have also qualified for the African Nations Championships. The Warriors have not had a good run under Gorowa at Rufaro Stadium after drawing their two matches against Mauritius and Zambia. Surprisingly, the Warriors have won all their three away matches against Mauritius, Zambia, and South Africa, forcing Gorowa to make this request to the Zimbabwe Football Association. Gorowa says the astro-turf pitch at Rufaro Stadium has outlived its years of existence and is no longer up to standard. On top of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Gorowa has also asked to have all the matches he will be in charge to be played at Barbourfields Stadium. The teams that Zimbabwe will play at Barbourfields Stadium will only be known after the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations draw. The draw was supposed to have been held in March in Morocco but will now be held in February in South Africa with the matches beginning in September. The Warriors are desperate to qualify for the finals after missing out in 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2013.