"We've not become a bad team overnight and we've still got what it takes to win matches" - Willard Katsande

Zimbabwe face the ignominy of an early exit from the African Nations Cup in Gabon and captain Willard Katsande is well aware that he will be required to lift his troops ahead of their decisive final group match against Tunisia on Monday night.

But reaching the quarterfinals of the global showpiece is not entirely in their hands as the Zimbabweans have to beat the Tunisians and then hope that group leaders Senegal‚ who have already qualified for the quarterfinals‚ beat or draw with Algeria in the other Group B match on Monday.

 The two games will kick off at the same time at 9pm (SA time).

Katsande told Times Media Digital from Gabon that they will have to throw caution to the wind and take the fight to the Tunisians if they are to avoid returning home after only a week in Gabon.

“This is our last group game and we have nothing to loose‚” Katsande said.

“We are taking the game to them because we need to score goals in order for us to go through to the next round.

“We have what it takes to go through and just need to keep our heads high‚ focus and also minimize (the possibility of) conceding early.”

But getting past Tunisia will be no easy task as after a 2-0 defeat to Senegal in their opening match‚ the North Africans recovered and beat Algeria by the same margin in their next match.

 A win over Zimbabwe would guarantee the Tunisians passage to the quarterfinals.

The Zimbabweans will look back and wonder what could have been had they made better use of the many opportunities they created against Algeria in their opening match of the tournament last Sunday.

The Warriors were just eight minutes from beating Algeria 2-1 before Riyad Mahrez scored his second goal of the night to earn a point for the North Africans in a pulsating 2-2 draw.

A victory in that game would have put them in a stronger position than they find themselves in at the moment.

Katsande now has a huge task on his hands and has to find a way to lift the spirits in his change room after classy Senegal effortlessly cruised past the Warriors in a 2-0 defeat on Thursday night.

The stylish Senegalese barely raised a sweat as goals from Sadio Mane and Henri Saivet proved enough to put Southern Africa’s lone representatives in Gabon to the sword in a dominant display.

 “Obviously we were down after that defeat to Senegal but at the same time we do not need to put negativity in the team because we still have a job at hand‚” Katsande said.

 “The atmosphere (in the change room) was not good but as a leader I got the opportunity to (stand) before the guys and to put some positives.

“I told them we did not become a bad team overnight and we still have got what it takes to win matches.”

Katsande said they are confident that main striker Knowledge Musona will be fit enough to face the Tunisians on Monday.

The Belgium-based Musona retired early with a hamstring injury in the opening match against Algeria and did not recover in time to face Senegal.

Katsande said he was certain that the former Kaizer Chiefs striker would take his place on the pitch on Monday.

“I am sure he will be back because the injury was not as bad as we all initially thought.” — TMG Digital