Sports
Emmerson Njanjamangezi
I
n their defeat at the hands of Egyptian Pharaohs
in an African Zone Group G World Cup Qualifier at
the Borg El Arab Stadium recently, the Warriors
highlighted greater positivity and numerous requisite
improvements, thereby bringing forth lesser worries
for some work in progress on the part of a youthful
Zimbabwean side.
While most had written off the Warriors, especially
after the Egyptians had ruthlessly thrashed Swaziland
8-0 before their date with Zimbabwe, new coach Claus
Dieter Pagels’ show of character was a ray of hope if
objectivity is to be applied to their away-from-home
performance.
Buoyed by an in-form Washington Arubi and the
rub of the green in the first half, the Warriors put up a
gallant show that won the hearts of most supporters,
who watched the match in the comfort of their homes
and drinking places.
Although our backs had a decent game, given the
predatory nature of the Egyptian forwards, plenty of
work still needs to be done on defense organisation,
especially the left flank.
The defensive link midfield was not at their best to
break the Pharaohs’ attack built up, thereby exposing
the back line.
It was evident that the Warriors’ coach had no answer
to the marauding Egyptian wingers where most of the
Pharoahs’ attack was built from. The Dynamos pair of
Ocean Mushure and Partson Jaure endured a torrid
time as the Egyptians attacked relentlessly.
The Warriors’ defensive unit was broken in the 64
minutes when the Hosny Adraboul curler found the top
end of the net from just outside the box, despite Arubi’s
desperate effort to tip it out. Thanks to a thunderbolt
from the in-form German-based Knowledge Musona,
Zimbabwe was able to pull the first one back.
But with just four minutes remaining to wrap up the
match, defender Augustine Mbara’s late tackle clipped
Ahmed Gafaar inside the box, for the Senegalese referee,
Badora Diatta, to point to the spot.
A late penalty by the Pharaohs star midfielder,
Mohammed Aboutreika, cancelled the memorable
Musona wonder leveler in the 77th minute, and ended
the hopes of this nation of snatching a point in Cairo.
Although Zimbabwe still trails Group G with a point
in three matches, while the Pharaohs extended their
lead to nine points and five ahead of second-placed
Guinea, the Warriors’ application to the game drew
more positives than negatives for the new coach.
Given Pagels’ new approach and philosophy, the team
needs more time to develop into a strong unit, and the
new gaffer definitely needs to try out new combinations
in the defensive link department as a way of providing
more cover for the central defense.
Moreover, need still remains to find a working
formula in the midfield to feed the Warrior’s talisman,
Knowledge Musona.
Zimbabwe’s line-up against Egypt:
Zimbabwe: W. Arubi, P. Jaure, O. Mushure, A. Mbara,
L. Zvasiya, A. Gutu, S. Songani (O.Kauru 58th min), D.
Mukamba, K. Musona, K. Billiat (T. Rusike 80th min), A.
Amidu (R. Mutuma 57th min). TP
The Parade - Zimbabwe’s Most Read Lifestyle Magazine
riors
War
Pharaohs
April 2013
Page 49