WARRIORS legend Peter Ndlovu has challenged the new-look senior team to “die on the field” when Zimbabwe get their 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifying campaign underway in Burundi next week.

The Warriors will fly out to Bujumbura on Sunday morning for the first round, first leg tie scheduled for February 29.

A depleted squad continued their preparations for the cagey assignment against the Burundi Swallows at Rufaro yesterday but they got a big boost with the pair of England-based defender Onismor Bhasera and midfielder Archieford Gutu who plays in Sweden being the latest additions.

The Warriors now look set to travel in batches amid indication that four of the South African-based players and three who ply their trade in Europe will join the team en route to Bujumbura or fly directly to the Burundi capital.

Despite the nature of the fixture adding its own complications to the camp and the travel arrangements, Ndlovu believes he has noted a will to fight among those that have been training. The legendary former Warriors captain —  now one of three assistants to caretaker coach Rahman Gumbo — yesterday challenged those that have been called up for duty to battle for a result in Bujumbura and give the senior team’s qualifying campaign a perfect launch pad.

Ndlovu said it was important that the Warriors throw everything into battle as they have to win at all costs in order to advance to the next stage of the qualifying process.

After next Wednesday’s match, Zimbabwe will then host the Swallows in the reverse fixture during the first week of June with the winner progressing to the last qualifying round where they would be drawn against one of the countries from the 16 nations that participated at the recent African Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

The Warriors will also be involved in the qualifiers for the Fifa 2014 World Cup which will also begin in June and where they have been drawn in a group that includes Egypt, Guinea and neighbours Mozambique.

But it is the immediate assignment against the Burundi Swallows which Ndlovu felt was not an insurmountable task even the coaches have had to assemble a new-look side.

“This is not the time to rebuild, the time to do that will come but this game we are treating it like a money game. We have to go there and fight for a result. As long as we get past this hurdle first then everything else will fall into place,” said Ndlovu.

Ndlovu said they would make up for failure to train together by making the most of their time together in Bujumbura.

“We are happy first of all we have to deal with what we have. There is no problem or chaos in camp. We are happy and focused and those who want to talk about other things are not Zimbabweans.

“I think the other players are playing for their teams and a good player will always come in and join the team. It is not what we want but it’s according to the regulations and there is nothing we can do about it.

“We are working hand in hand as the technical team so that we try to do well under the difficult conditions. I believe a player is a player and there is nothing like inexperience’’.

Ndlovu also hinted that the Warriors could bank on such players as seasoned defender Dickson Choto, who plays for Legia Warsaw in Poland, and talisman Knowledge Musona.

The Warriors are also not short on experience with Kaizer Chiefs skipper Tinashe Nengomasha, goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini and former Mamelodi Sundowns captain Esrom Nyandoro boasting years of experience at this level of the game.

“We have Dickson Choto coming in and Knowledge is playing professional football in Germany” said Ndlovu.

Ndlovu — capped 100 times for the Warriors in an illustrious career — also challenged the nation to cast away the cloud created by the massive suspension of players over the Asiagate scandal and insisted that focus should turn to those called for camp.

“We have lost players through the scandal but now it’s water under the bridge. This is the nation at stake but we will do our best,” said Ndlovu

The former Coventry City and Sheffield United striker reckoned that the players that have reported for camp are happy and geared for the task at hand.

Among the players at training yesterday were goalkeepers George Chigova and Marlon Jani, strikers Donald Ngoma, Charles Sibanda and Roderick Mutuma, defenders Godfrey Moyo and Tapiwa Khumbuyani and Dynamos midfielder Denver Mukamba.

The Botswana based duo of Mandla Moyo and Arnold Chaka and Kaizer Chiefs newboy Abbas Amidu made up the foreign contingent in training. Team manager Nyika Chifamba last night said they were expecting returning Russian based forward Musa Mguni, Nyandoro and Choto to arrive today. Right back Noel Kaseke, who plays in Cyprus, will now fly straight to Bujumbura together with Vusa Nyoni and Musona.

Chifamba, however, said the coaches would decide on the fate of the players who have club commitments this weekend before deciding on their final travelling party.