ZIMBABWEAN international defender Costa Nhamoinesu put in a man-of-the-match performance in his 19th Uefa Europa League match and said soon after that his mind is on winning his first match in Warriors colours.

The 30-year-old Nhamoinesu was rated 8,1 when his Czech Republic side Sparta Prague beat Krasnodar of Russia 1-0 on Thursday night.

He played 90 minutes at left-back and has a burning desire to transform that club form to the national team when Zimbabwe visit Swaziland for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on March 23, before playing host to Sihlangu four days later.

The former Masvingo United man made his national team debut on September 6 last year as the Warriors drew one-all with Guinea.

“It was a really good performance against Krasnodar yesterday (Thursday), it was a tough game, and they are really a good side.

“Such performances boost my morale; it is good for the club but at the end of the day one also wants to do the same for his country.

“So it would be nice to represent the nation once again,” Nhamoinesu told this publication from his base on Friday.

The dreadlocked defender has missed only five of Sparta Prague’s matches this season.

The Czech Liga resumed last week after the January break and Nhamoinesu’s side are second on the log, three points behind Viktoria Plzen who are on 41 with 13 rounds of action left.

“The struggle continues here. Our league was on a break but we are back to full schedule. But nothing changes, it is more work and more work.

“It is never easy in the Czech Liga; we had to come back from behind in the 2-1 win over Zlin last Saturday. It’s like every team engages a top gear when playing us. It is more like what most teams do when playing Dynamos back there in Zimbabwe,” said Nhamoinesu.

The mention of DeMbare sees the player going back to talking about the Warriors.

“But after all has been done, representing your nation is crucial and as such I am looking forward to the Warriors game against Swaziland – that is if I get called up,” he said.

“It will be nice to meet up with my fellow countrymen once again, doing duty for our nation.

“The back-to-back games against Swaziland are obviously crucial, results from those matches will shape the group.

“Winning those games will boos our morale and confidence before face giants Guinea in their backyard.”

Zimbabwe’s 1-1 draw with Guinea in their last qualifier, coupled with Swaziland’s 2-2 home draw with Malawi that same weekend, left the Warrior’s joint top of Group L with Sihlangu on four points.

Guinea and Malawi have a point each.

The Warriors, who opened their Afcon 2017 campaign with an uplifitng 2-1 away win in Malawi before drawing at home, will host the Flames of Malawi on June 3 after the Swaziland assignments.

They will be hoping to have wrapped it up all when they travel to West Africa for their final qualifier against Guinea on September 2.

Guinea played their home match against Swaziland on neutral soil as the West African nation was barred from hosting international matches due to an Ebola outbreak.

They have since been cleared by the Confederation of African Football and will host Malawi in Conakry on March 23, the same day Zimbabwe date Swaziland in Mbabane.

. . . as Europe beckons for Khama

Ishemunyoro Chingwere

RED hot Mamelodi Sundowns winger Khama Billiat is a wanted man. But the attentions from European suitors will not distract him as his contract at the South African club winds down.

The 25-year-old Warriors star has been in dazzling form for his mega bucks South African employers, scoring eight goals and providing as many assists in 15 matches this season.

Billiat, who joined Downs in June 2013 on a three-year contract from Ajax Cape Town, is in the final six months of his deal and can walk out of Chloorkop for free at the end of the season in June.

Having suffered several injury setbacks, he has hit top form at the right time, forming a deadly attacking trio fondly referred to as the “CBD” with Bafana Bafana youth international Keegan Dolly and Colombian striker Leonardo Castro.

The CBD was instrumental in Downs’ 19-match unbeaten run, which was halted by Zimbabwe’s Chicken Inn in a CAF Champions League preliminary round tie at Barbourfields in Bulawayo last weekend.

Billiat has undoubtedly been the most lethal weapon in the deadly trio and was missed dearly by coach Pitso Mosimane as the South Africans fell to a Mitchell Katsvairo goal.

Mosimane’s side, which is famed for paying mouthwatering salaries in the region of R350 000 to its stars, in December tried to extend the Aces Youth Academy graduate’s contract by another year but the Mufakose-bred attacker is reportedly dragging his feet on committing as he would rather move to Europe.

It is a move which looks incrfeasingly likely with every passing game in which he delivers the goods.

English Premier League side Swansea City, Napoli of the Italian Serie A as well as the French Ligue 1 duo of AS Monaco and Lille are reportedly angling for Billiat’s signature, but the diminutive winger is not reading much into those rumours.

In an interview from his base in Pretoria on Thursday, Billiat said he was only concentrating on his game with Sundowns.

“There is no secret (to my current form) besides the hard work that I put into the game to make sure I play to the best of my abilities every time.

“I am just focusing on my game at Sundowns and I know if I do that then I stand a chance of going to Europe,” said Billiat who was not very keen to discuss his future.”

His attentions are firmly on the return leg against Chicken Inn at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.

Billiat missed the first game due to injury.

“It was very disappointing but it was not of my making. I tried hard to make it and as you saw, I even did the warm up with the hope of shaking off the injury but I couldn’t play.

“We are still positive about our prospects of progressing and we will use home advantage just like they did in the first leg,” said the dribbling wizard.