ZIMBABWE Warriors blew a golden opportunity to kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign on a high note as they settled for a draw in their Group G opener in a dull goalless affair against neighbours South Africa at National Sports Club this afternoon.
A football team is as good as the hard yards they put in the training, but it was like going to war without preparation for the Zimbabwe senior men’s football.
Underfire head coach Zdravko Logarusic bemoaned the lack of fitness within his camp, singling out only four professionals playing regular football at their clubs.
The majority of locally-based players have long been inactive following numerous suspensions on sport due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Those at the helm of sport have failed dismally to defend sport as an industry. Despite all clubs adhering to the Covid-19 guidelines by getting tested over and above the vaccination, football has bore the brunt of double standards by the Sports and Recreation Commission.
Perhaps SRC has set the team to fail to ad as their selfish agenda of interfering with the administration of sport and remove a legitimately elected Zifa board led by Felton Kamambo just like they did two years with cricket. However, their actions backfired with severe consequences.
The International Cricket Council then suspended Zimbabwe Cricket, costing the men and women teams their right to represent the country at Global Qualifiers.
“We need a bit of individual brilliance, but we didn’t get it. Today it was a difficult match…we had match fitness problems…only four players are playing regularly Khama Billiat, Knowledge Musona, Onsimor Bhasera and Marshall Munetsi,” Logarusic said.
The Warriors play their second match against Ethiopia on Tuesday.
Zimbabwe: Talbert Shumba, Divine Lunga, Gilroy Chimwemwe, Alec Mudimu, Onismor Bhasera, Thabani Kamusoko, Marshal Munetsi, Knowledge Musona, Kuda Mahachi (Tafadzwa Rusike 58′), Khama Billiat, Tino Kadewere (Terrence Dzvukamania 58′).
