AS Khama Billiat stepped onto the turf yesterday, he lit Rufaro Stadium.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
Everything and everyone else on the field of play and on the bench mattered little to the thousands of fans gathered in the arena to watch the Warriors test their strengths against Uganda yesterday.
Billiat was a little late in arriving for this friendly international, but just as he took his place on the substitutes’ bench, the warriors scored their first goal through Teenage Hadebe, who headed home from a corner kick.
The celebrations for the goal could not match the rousing ovation Billiat received when he entered the stadium.
Once he settled down coach, Kalisto Pasuwa received constant prodding by the fans to introduce their hero.
They wanted the talisman to come on and display the silky skills that saw him crowned South African topflight league’s best player on Monday night.
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When he finally came on, he did not disappoint, as he gave a few glimpses of what the Warriors’ fans can expect when the national team takes on Malawi in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Not that the team was not playing well before Billiat came on, in fact they were in cruise control, leading 2-0 when the former Caps United winger came on with 18 minutes to go.
Yet when he came on everything changed, he showed he was in a different class from everyone else on the pitch.
It was a good advert for the Malawi match.
At the end of the match fans spoke glowingly Billiat and some may be forgiven for forgetting the final score line.
For Pasuwa, there were a number of positives, although he did not use most of his big guns such as Knowledge Musona, Costa Nhamoinesu, and Marvin Nakamba, whom he ostensibly wanted to protect from the Rufaro hard surface ahead of the important Malawi match.
Pasuwa should have been delighted with Andrew Gwaze, playing in central midfield, and he must also have been impressed with Elisha Muroiwa in the heart of defence.
Hadebe, who scored both goals in similar fashion, also had a good run, although it is unlikely he will win a starting berth come Sunday. The towering Chicken Inn defender got to the end of a corner kick from Kuda Mahachi five minutes into the match and planted a firm header to give the Warriors the lead.
Mahachi was again involved in a replica of the first goal, delivering a wonderful corner kick 31 minutes into the match and Hadebe leapt highest to head home the second, hammering the final nail into Uganda’s coffin.
The Warriors dominated the first half and threatened with some fine raids. Evans Rusike, as his powerful shot went just over the bar moments after the second goal.
Uganda had their moments too, with forward players, Rorenzen Merleveen and Okwi Emmanuel a constant threat to the home team’s defence. Merleveen was denied by the upright at the stroke of the first half, as Uganda pressed forward.
Uganda coach, Micho praised the Warriors after the match and believes they deserve a place at the finals.
“Great match, but it has never happened in my coaching career that we concede two goals in exactly the same fashion,” he said. “We wanted to check the form of our players, we succeeded, we wanted to avoid injuries, we succeeded, we wanted the result, we didn’t succeed. The Warriors are a group of great individuals coached by good friend of mine Kalisto Pasuwa. They are a great team that deserves to go to the African Cup of Nations.”
Pasuwa was happy with the victory.
“The guys played very well. We have seen the areas we need to rectify before we play Malawi. They were very good at set pieces and defensively as well. We are going to have a headache as the technical team to come up with the final 18,” he said.
