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Wasteful Warriors

Sport
Zimbabwe are on the brink of Cosafa Cup elimination, after they were held to a second draw of the tournament by Madagascar in a Group A match at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek, Namibia, last night.

ZIMBABWE . . . . . . . . . 0 MADAGASCAR . . . . . . 0

Zimbabwe are on the brink of Cosafa Cup elimination, after they were held to a second draw of the tournament by Madagascar in a Group A match at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek, Namibia, last night.

BY SPORTS REPORTER

Warriors during their afternoon training session at Gateway school yesterday

After Swaziland, who the Warriors played to a thrilling 2-2 draw in the tournament opener on Saturday, had dismantled a hapless Seychelles 4-0 in an earlier Group A match, Zimbabwe needed to win to keep alive their hopes of a quarterfinal qualification.

However, Pasuwa’s men, despite pinning Madagascar against the ropes for the better part of the match, squandered the numerous chances that came their way.

The result left Zimbabwe on third position in the group, with two points behind joint leaders Swaziland and Madagascar, who have four points.

Seychelles are bottom of the log and out of contention for a place in the quarter-finals.

Only the group leaders qualify for the last eight, where they will meet Zambia.

For Zimbabwe to qualify for the next stage, they will now need to beat Seychelles by a bigger margin in the final group match and hope that Swaziland and Madagascar draw their last match.

The Warriors failed to get past the first round in last year’s edition, which was held in South Africa and are staring elimination at the same stage once again.

Needing to win their match to enhance their chances of qualification, Pasuwa made two changes to the team that played Swaziland, with Tafadzwa Kutinyu and Talent Chawapihwa starting, while Bruce Kangwa and Nqobizitha Masuku made way.

Zimbabwe looked stronger in play early on, putting together some promising build-up play.

However, their first clear-cut chance of the match arrived after 16 minutes when Charlton Mashumba, disappointing all night, fed fellow striker Obadiah Tarumbwa, who had an equally horrible game, with a cutback, but the Chicken Inn forward blazed his effort over.

Zimbabwe were then awarded a free-kick just outside the box after the speedy Marshall Mudehwe was hacked down by Randrianiaiana Tantley, but Danny Phiri directed his effort, from the resultant kick, straight at goalkeeper Chretien Andriamifehy.

Chances continued to fall the Warriors way, with Chawapiwa denied by Andriamifehy, before Kutinyu’s header was desperately cleared off the line by the Madagascar defence.

Immediately, Tarumbwa fired wide from point blank, as Zimbabwe finished the first half frantically searching for the opener.

Madagascar, who looked content in sitting deep, had no shot on target in the opening half.

The second half began in the same fashion as the first, with Zimbabwe on top and pressing.

They should have opened the scoring in the 47th minute when Mashumba was put clean through, but the Jomo Cosmos striker wasted the glorious chance, his tame shot failing to trouble the Madagascar goalie.

Zimbabwe’s woes worsened moments later when Phiri wobbled off the pitch with an injury and was replaced by Farai Madhanaga.

Madagascar had the better of the match thereafter, and forced Mukuruva into a fine save from a Razanakoto Dina effort in the 58th minute, which was his team’s first shot on target.

Second half substitute Kangwa had the best chance to win the match for Zimbabwe in the 81st minute when he got to the end of a pass from Hardlife Zvirekwi, who had done all the hard work on the right, but the shot was well blocked by Andriamifehy.

LINE-UPS

Zimbabwe: T Mukuruva, H Zvirekwi, R Pfumbidzai, T Hadebe, E Muroiwa, D Phiri (F Madhanaga, 52’), M Mudehwe, T Kutinyu, C Mashumba (K Nadolo, 76’), O Tarumbwa, T Chawapihwa (B Kangwa, 60)

Madagascar: C Andriamifehy, T Sandratriniaina, R Tantley, M Fetranianina, A Manoelantsoa, Razanakoto, S Vombola, Rajaonias, R Raherinaivo (M Raveloarisona, 91’), F Randrianmonjanahary (J Bourahim, 48’), Elefoni