Zimbabwe interim coach, Jairos Tapera is looking to build on the platform laid by the team’s former coaches. The Warriors are in South Africa to take on Bafana Bafana and Lesotho in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
“We respect what Brito did in Rwanda and we also respect what Norman Mapeza did in Malawi,” Tapera said as Zimbabwe prepared for the Lesotho match to be played in Soweto.
Baltemar Brito was in charge of Zimbabwe’s World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Nigeria. Both qualifiers were played in Kigali because Zimbabwe does not have an approved venue. Brito managed to collect two points while Mapeza led The Warriors to the final of a Four Nations tournament in Malawi. Tapera has shown respect to both in his selections.
“It’s important that we have the core of the squad. There were a few adjustments to the team that has been representing Zimbabwe of late. Mind you, these are very important games that we are facing. So you would need all your best players available,” the Manica Diamonds coach explained.
Tapera is another stop-gap solution by the Normalisation Committee currently running Zimbabwe’s football matters. A substantive coach appointment has been in the pipeline for a few months.
Zimbabwe will play Lesotho at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto before moving to the Free State province for another neighbourhood clash with Bafana Bafana in Bloemfontein. Tapera revealed that he had tried to rope in former captain Knowledge Musona and burly striker Nyasha Mushekwi with no luck. Macauley Bonne asked to be excused because he was moving clubs.