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Warriors crash out of Afcon

Sport
TUNISIA . . . . . . . (4) 4 ZIMBABWE . . . . .(1) 2 Kevin Mapasure in Libreville, Gabon Zimbabwe’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations campaign went up in smoke in embarrassing fashion, when they were subjected to a thorough hiding by Tunisia here last night. The Warriors went into the match […]

TUNISIA . . . . . . . (4) 4 ZIMBABWE . . . . .(1) 2

Kevin Mapasure in Libreville, Gabon

Zimbabwe’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations campaign went up in smoke in embarrassing fashion, when they were subjected to a thorough hiding by Tunisia here last night.

The Warriors went into the match needing a win to stand a chance of qualifying to the quarter-finals, but they failed dismally in their attempt, putting up a disjointed show.

Coach Kalisto Pasuwa infamously declared his team the group favourites on arrival in Gabon, but the Warriors leave the host nation after learning a lesson in humility and with their tails firmly tucked in between their legs.

Zimbabwe finished bottom of the group after picking up just one point in their draw against Algeria.

Sliti Naim, Youssef Msakni, Taha Khenissi and Wahbi Khazri scored for Tunisia, while Knowledge Musona, Tendai Ndoro were on target for Zimbabwe.

The Warriors leave the tournament a laughing stock and will be remembered more for their strikes over monetary rewards, as well as the late arrival of their kit.

Nothing more.

They will not be missed after such a colourless showing.

They came here with the aim of improving on previous performances at this tournament after the 2004 and 2006 classes both failed at the Group stages, but this lot is the worst statistics wise.

The carnage started as early as the eighth minute after Khazri and Ali Maaloul combined to set up Naim unattended outside the box for the attacker to fire home after benefiting from a deflection.

Zimbabwe’s hopes were extinguished on 22 minutes after Msakni played a one two with Naim, which tore up the Warriors defence for the former to fire from close range.

It was game over.

The dream had been shattered. Tunisia were not done.

They wanted it to be emphatic and they kept pouring forward. Zimbabwe looked hopeless, clueless at times and spineless for the majority of the half.

They committed one foul after another, rarely making forward forays.

If one thought the Senegal match was embarrassing, this was worse.

Ten minutes after the second goal, Khazri almost made it three with a free kick, which Tatenda Mukuruva, in goal for Zimbabwe, watched and tipped over.

Two minutes later, striker Knowledge Musona, making a return to the side after an injury lay-off, fired warning shots, with a left foot drive that goalkeeper Rami Keridi fisted out for a corner. At the other end, Taha Yassine Khenissi stretched Tunisia’s lead with a side foot finish at the end of a Hamdi Naguez cross after a good run on the right flank.

Two minutes from half time, Musona resurrected Zimbabwe’s hopes of avoiding total humiliation, when he beat two defenders to smash past Jeridi.

Tunisia then cruelly cut short any form of celebration, winning and converting a penalty almost immediately after Zimbabwe’s goal.

Defender Costa Nhamoinesu cluttered into Khenissi from behind and the referee, Denis Dembele, from Ivory Coast, awarded a penalty at the advice of second assistant referee, Olivier Kabene.

Khazri took responsibility and slotted home under a diving and despairing Mukuruva.

Zimbabwe reduced the deficit seven minutes after the restart, when winger Khama Billiat went on a good run before feeding Musona, who cutely fed half-time substitute, Tendai Ndoro, who made no mistake to breathe a bit of life into the contest.

But Tunisia composed themselves and controlled the game. They could have stretched the lead through Msakni, had it not been of Mukuruva’s brilliance on 75 minutes.

Despite a few good moves, Zimbabwe never really troubled the goalkeeper thereafter.

Musona had a shot that sailed narrowly over the bar, as he showed his class.

Pasuwa blamed a lapse of concentration in the early stages of the match for the loss.

TEAMS Tunisia: R Jeridi, S Youssef, A Abdennour, Y Msakni (Saber Khalifa), W Khazri (Hamzar Lahmar 63), T Khenissi, A Maaloul, F Sassi, M Amour, HNaguez, S Naim (F Larry 83) Zimbabwe: T Mukuruva, H zvirekwi, E Muroiwa, C Nhamoinesu, O Bhasera, D Phiri (T Ndoro 46), W Katsande, M Nakamba, K Billiat, N Mushekwi, K Musona (Knowledge Musona