“We want fans to be proud” – Catala issues rallying cry ahead of Sierra Leone clash

The Warriors begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign away to Sierra Leone on Thursday night.

The Group E opener kicks off at 9 pm CAT but will be played at the Stade Ben M’Hamed El Abdi, also known as Stade El Abdi, in El Jadida, Morocco.

It will be Ramon Catala’s first match in the dugout for Zimbabwe since his appointment last month.

Zimbabwe are in Group E alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone.

The top two teams in the group will book their places at the finals, which will be co-hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania in 2027.

Sierra Leone are ranked 122nd in the world by FIFA, eight places above Zimbabwe.

Speaking ahead of the match, Catala said he expects a tough test but is confident his side can start with a positive result.

“It will be a very difficult match. They [Sierra Leone] have a team with good players, similar to ours. But we are going there with the motivation to start the competition well and to put in a very good performance,” he said.

“The atmosphere is phenomenal. The players are great professionals, and they have a lot of hunger to play in these matches and to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations. It’s a good atmosphere, and we have good players.”

Catala also praised the training facilities in Morocco.

“The pitch is in very good condition. We want to thank Raja Casablanca for hosting us and for allowing us to train at their facility. The facilities are perfect for us to have our sessions here in Casablanca,” he said.

“We want the fans to be proud of their team. We are going to give everything to try and win the first match. Sierra Leone is a good team, but we are certainly up for them.

“We are really excited and looking forward to the game against Sierra Leone.”

Zimbabwe will host DRC at the National Sports Stadium in their next qualifier on Monday, while Equatorial Guinea will welcome Sierra Leone on the same day.

More: The Herald