IT cannot get worse for Zimbabwean football.
Henry Mhara in Lusaka
Zambia …………..(1) 1 Zimbabwe …………. 0 (Zambia won 2-0 on aggregate) As the country is trying to recover from last week’s Warriors horror show against Tanzania in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the Mighty Warriors added to the heartbreak when they bowed out of the Africa Women’s Championships (AWC) yesterday.
Yesterday’s loss to Zambia at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka, saw the Mighty Warriors bundled out 2-0 on aggregate after they had lost by the same 1-0 scoreline at home a fortnight ago. They left local football in need of major surgery.
Like their male counterparts, the Mighty Warriors decided to go on strike on the eve of their departure to Lusaka to press for outstanding allowances.
There were reports that the Mighty Warriors players once again boycotted training on arrival in Zambia.
The Mighty Warriors’ woes were even pronounced when the players emerged from the dressing room wearing their male counterparts’ kit. For Zifa, this is one less headache.
Needing to overturn a 0-1 scoreline from the first leg played in Harare, the ill-prepared Zimbabweans found themselves further back on 37th minute when Mary Mwakapila tapped home after a mistake by Nokuthula Ndlovu who had given away possession to the dangerous Kabange Mupopo.
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The visitors started well, enjoying plenty possession and creating the better chances especially in the second half, but the hosts did enough to protect their goal to win the tie on a 2-0 aggregate scoreline.
The result means Zambia qualify for the AWC finals for the very first time while the Mighty Warriors’ decade-long absence at the showpiece was extended.
Mighty Warriors coach Rosemary Mugadza bemoaned her side’s lack of a cutting edge upfront. She made five changes to the team that started in Harare. Berita Kabwe and Rhoda Jongoti were handed their first senior team caps, replacing Nobuhle Majika and Rutendo Makore respectively.
Talent Mandaza and Rudo Neshamba started ahead of Emmaculate Msipa and Kudakwashe Bhasopo while the final change was a forced one. Mavis Chirandu replaced injured Ruvimbo Mutyavaviri and Nokuthula Ndlovu started at the left-back position.
Chasing a 0-1 score from the first leg, the Mighty Warriors started like a team on a mission to upset the host and Neshamba could have given the side the needed goal, but headed just wide on 15th minute.
They then thought they had found that crucial goal on 23rd minute when Kabwe hit the nets, but Angolan referee Marximina Bernardo ruled the goal off adjudging that Felistas Muzongondi had controlled the ball with her hand in the build-up to the goal.
Zimbabwe had a strong shout for a penalty on the hour mark when Zambia defender appeared to block Muzongondi’s goal-bound shot using her hand.
They continued to throw bodies forward and were hit on the counter.
