Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
JORDAN Zemura put up a polished show as he helped his Italian top-flight side Udinese to their first league win this season stunning giants AC Milan 1-0 at the San Siro on Saturday night.
It was the Warriors utility’s second start in 11 outings.
He produced an outstanding performance that he should have capped with a brace of assists had his teammates done justice to his pin-point crosses in the opening half.
Deployed on the left-side of a five-man midfield in a 3-5-2 structure which new coach Gabriele Ciofi prefers, the Zimbabwean was full of running.
With a 76 percent rating in this match, Zemura might just have hit the right form which could be a major boost for the Warriors ahead of their back-to-back 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Nigeria mid this month.
“It was a really tough match but I am happy we managed to nail the points.
“As a player you will obviously enjoy winning each and every game. I am happy we have finally managed to get the full points and the win came against really massive opposition,” said Zemura who was substituted with six minutes remaining.
“I am happy to have started the match and obviously with the way I carried myself in the pitch and how everyone of us as players performed.
“It was a fantastic game. Obviously there is still a lot of areas we need to work on to keep on improving.
“As a player, I am happy to have gone out there and give a good performance. This is what I always pray for. I have areas I continue working on perfecting”.
Zemura said the little time he has spent in Italy has been revealing.
“I am still learning a lot of things in terms of the league that I am playing in.
“Udinese is really a good team with amazing staff and players. The supporters are awesome and you got to push yourself to give them what they thoroughly deserve.
“So far so good and I am looking forward to a good season.
“I am surrounded by lovely people and the environment is very enabling. I am hoping to continue improving in some of the aspects of my game”.
The 23-year-old, who is also the first Zimbabwean to play in Serie A, is one of the players called in coach Baltemar Brito’s Warriors side to face Rwanda on November 15 and Nigeria four days later.
Zimbabwe will be away against Rwanda at Huye Stadium in Butare, some 180km from capital Kigali and they will be home to Nigeria at the same stadium.