Kampala- THE Zimbabwe senior national soccer team popularly known as The Warriors finished in yet another goalless draw in a head to head match with the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in an Africa Cup of Nations Qualification, Group qualifier.
The match was played at Mandela National Stadium stadium Tuesday located in Kampala city, Uganda and was beamed live by the national broadcaster in a rare spectacle!
The match is a part of the Africa Cup of Nations, Qualification, Group J.
The Warriors had a good game but proved to be a big yawn in front of goal in a match where they had many chances that the seemingly in-form strikers failed to convert.
International football returnee Khama Billiat had a good day in the office, displaying his deft touches and intelligent play at the centre of the park.
The new Warriors coach Michael Nees had to introduce Teenage Hadebe in the 47th minute and at the same time Cameron brought in Ntcham whose efforts never changed the complexion of the game which was dominated by the Warriors who however ‘fired blanks’
If it was an economics class, one would be justified to say the case of the Warriors performance is synonymous to the theory of diminishing returns as they were shy at goal after extreme hard work.
The goalie Washington Arubi was flashed with a yellow card in the 44th minute after he committed a foul in response to a strong header from a Cameroonian player whose jersey was labelled Ngadeu.
It was not a ‘hand of God’ like the late Diego Maradona’s con-it was a proper hard header that hit the cross bar and caught Arubi unaware.
Nees changes were strategic as he brought in the in- form Tawanda Charewa replacing Walter Musona but no goals came.
The current form of the Warriors is however commendable and the team is gaining momentum and strong like the Zig currency thereby motivating patriotism among football lovers who have been disappointed since the Reinhard Fabisch Dream Team days where no achievement was made except the ‘wow factor’ where the Agent Sawus dribbled like Ronaldinho with no results and the steady defence of Ephraim Chawanda, Benjamin ‘Makanaky’ Nkonjera, Francis Shonhayi all of whom met their Maker except Chawanda (also known as the The rock of Gibraltor)
Not to forget Glen Norah bred Dumisani Mpofu who would follow a striker off the touchline but JJ Okocha taught him a good lesson where he almost shed tears after a few cross overs that left him touching the grass(there was no turf then!).
“Tough luck sane but Go Warriors Go”, said Flambo from the Friends of the Warriors in a telephone conversation with this writer!
