THE Young Warriors have been boosted by the return of first choice striker Thomas Chideu who has been certified fit for the decisive second leg of the Under-23 African Championships against rivals South Africa next month.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
Chideu was stretchered off the pitch after 35 minutes after sustaining an injury in a tussle with a South African player leaving the team to play the rest of the match without the talented forward at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday. He was replaced by How Mine striker Mgcini Sibanda.
South Africa secured a crucial away goal in a 1-1 draw courtesy of midfielder Keagan Dolly- one of the best players on the afternoon.
Dolly profited from a mistake by Young Warriors captain Wisdom Mutasa who was disposed by Siphelele Ntshangase before setting up the Amaglug star who beat goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva with a low shot.
Kalisto Pasuwa’s men equalised on 83 minutes when Zambian referee Stanley Hachiwa awarded them a penalty after South Africa captain Ishmael Mngonyama was adjudged to have handled inside the penalty box.
FC Platinum forward Walter Musona then stepped up to convert the penalty, which brought Zimbabwe on level with their rivals.
However, with the return leg scheduled for August 2, there have been genuine fears Pasuwa -who will be seeking to get a goal harvest to turn the tables and qualify for the finals in Senegal will be without his best marksman.
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Those fears were allayed by Warriors team manager Sharif Mussa yesterday who indicated that the injury to the Highlanders forward was not as serious as initially thought.
“Chideu will be available for the return leg in South Africa. The injury he sustained is not as serious as we initially thought. He was punched on the ribs which caused him some discomfort but the doctor has certified him fit so he will be available for the second leg. We would have wanted the team to remain in camp but because of the weekend PSL games that is no longer possible. So the players will regroup on Monday next week after the league games,” said Mussa.
The Young Warriors team manager said they would also try to send letters of invitation to Denmark based Ronald Pfumbidzai and Netherlands based Marvellous Nakamba who play for Hobro Ik and Vitesse respectively.
However, Mussa said there were doubts if the players could be released as the match was outside the Fifa calendar for international matches.
Zimbabwe now need a scoring draw better than 1-1 draw for example a 2-2 draw or 3-3 draw.
The home team were the masters of their own downfall as they failed to capitalise on home advantage. They chose to defend deep in their own half, waiting for their opponents to come at them hoping to hit them on the counter attack.
But the visitors were technically superior with Dolly, Ntshangase and Ayabulela Kongobe bossing the midfield where Nqobizitha Masuku, Gerald Takwara, Mutasa and Kuda Mahachi struggled for fluency. As a result, South Africa goalkeeper Ricardo Goss was hardly troubled, with some of the Young Warriors’ raids thwarted by a disciplined South African defence inspired by Mngonyama.
While Pasuwa is still unbeaten in matches he has presided since taking over the biggest job in Zimbabwean football, handing powerhouses Cameroon a shock defeat which qualified them to the Africa Games in September, he got his tactics all wrong against a technically superior South Africa side who dominated their opponents in all aspects of the game.
That the Young Warriors needed a penalty to rescue the match at home, is enough evidence they were outclassed.
Now they have a mountain to climb in the return leg where they need to get the goals to qualify.
