WHEN minnows like Lesotho can go to Sudan, overturn a 2-0 lead from the hosts and win 3-2, then surely a highly-rated team like Zimbabwe playing at home must win against Mozambique.
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Even Kenya managed a 1-0 win over Namibia to end their campaign on a winning note, Benin beat Rwanda 2-0 while Togo salvaged some pride with a 2-1 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday.
And Africa’s team of the moment, Cape Verde, with a population of just 500 000, stunned Tunisia 2-0 in their own backyard to qualify for the last phase. These teams, like Zimbabwe, were really not expected to qualify for the last round, but honestly were supposed to show some signs of competition in home matches, hence the need to win at all costs.
Unfortunately for Zimbabwe this was the second worst World Cup campaign after the 1990 disaster where the Warriors ended with one point from four matches after Libya withdrew from the qualifiers. The message to win was loud and clear from the fans to coach Ian Gorowa on Sunday in the 1-1 draw at Rufaro against the Mambas, leaving the supporters pondering exactly what is needed to make the Warriors win at home.
Is it a curse? Or it is about some pressure from the home fans who are expecting a lot from the ever-ongoing rebuilding exercise? Or maybe, just technical inability to read the opponents and play the right players in the right positions?
Gorowa has been the best in terms of statistics as Rahman Gumbo managed a point and no goal from two matches against Guinea and Mozambique. Klaus Dieter Pagels was the worst as the Warriors lost three and conceded seven goals against Egypt (4-2 and 2-1) and 1-0 against Guinea.
While all focus is on the coach, we cannot run away from the issue of resources and those pointing fingers at Zifa are simply barking up the wrong tree.
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Anybody who puts on a national team jersey and sings the national anthem ceases to be property of an association. He belongs to the nation and must be accorded all the respect and support, financial and material, they deserve.
Some of the monies are there. We have seen non-entities like Munya Chidzonga getting $300 000 for making a mess of themselves on some phony reality show when the funds could have been channelled elsewhere.
Right now the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe cannot send a team to the Afro basket championships while the Hockey Association of Zimbabwe has also withdrawn from the Africa Cup of Nations finals because of lack of resources.
National teams belong to the nation and let’s all get behind them and support them, and perhaps, especially for a big brand like football, they can start producing the results we need.
Tonight we need a win to appease Gorowa’s early critics and for a man who has held high-profile club jobs like at Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa, this is just about time. We need to beat Bafana Bafana and set the tone for future preparatory matches in December that will prepare the Warriors for the African Nations Championships.
