A NIGHTMARISH performance by stand-in goalkeeper Elvis
Chipezeze dominated a horror show for the Warriors as they crashed out of the
2019 AFCON finals, under a cloud of humiliation with Sunday Chidzambwa’s men
suffering their worst defeat at this tournament at the June 30 Stadium here
last night.
Cedrick Bakambu scored twice, including a penalty, Jonathan
Bolingi opened the scoring and Middlesborough striker Britt Assombalonga netted
the other for the Congolese on their Independence Day.
Needing a victory to have a chance of squeezing into the
group stages, for only the first time in history, the Warriors somehow produced
a performance plucked from hell with their defence, a rock on which they had
built their recent success stories, in a state of shambles all night.
‘Keeper Chipezeze, playing only because George Chigova
pulled out injured shortly before the game while Edmore Sibanda had also been
sidelined by injury, was the fall guy with an early howler, which set the tone
for a night to forget for the Warriors who now return home as villains.
Although the Class of 2004 conceded five goals against
Cameroon, they scored three, and two years ago in Gabon, the Warriors conceded
four goals against Tunisia but scored twice in that match to give the contest
some respectability.
Chipezeze was a bundle of nerves all night and gifted the
Democratic Republic of Congo their first goal with a shocking schoolboy error,
with Bolingi scoring, was penalised for a penalty for the opponents’ third and
then made another fumble for the fourth.
A win for the Warriors, given the events at the Cairo
International Stadium where hosts Egypt beat Uganda 2-0, would have seen them
make history by booking a place in the last 16, as the runners-up in the group,
but a limp show – when they needed to flex their muscles – will now see them
heading home.
Maybe, the days of turmoil, which saw their camp being
devilled by a series of rows over pay leading even to consideration being made
by ZIFA to pull the team out of this tournament a few days ago, finally took
their toll on them and the spark they had shown against Egypt and Uganda
disappeared.
With just one point, from three games, and bottom of the
table, it means the so-called Golden Generation will also be remembered for all
the wrong reasons after suffering the worst defeat by Zimbabwe at the AFCON
finals while the issues related to their financial demands will also be debated
for weeks.
And, after scoring only once in 270 minutes, this is
officially the worst campaign by the Warriors at the AFCON finals.
But, it soon became clear this was going to be a long
night, with the changes in their central defence, brought by the injury to Alec
Mudimu, turning them into a vulnerable outfit and it wasn’t helped by
Chipezeze’s mistake, which saw him fumble what should have been a routine save
from a free-kick, onto the crossbar and Jonathan Bolingi, on his 30th birthday,
pushed the Congolese ahead.
In the 37th minute Cedrick Bakambu ran clear of the defence
and fired home with the outside of his foot before he was brought down by
Chipezeze in the second half, dusted himself and converted the penalty.
And, when the goalkeeper fumbled a speculative shot towards
the end of the game, the Warriors were punished again in the 78th minute with
Middlesborough striker Britt Assombalonga taking full advantage to score the
fourth goal.
Zimbabwe
Chipezeze, T. Darikwa, R. Pfumbidzai, L. Mhlanga, T.Hadebe,
D. Phiri, M. Munetsi (T. Kadewere 70th min), O.Karuru, T. Chawapiwa (Mushekwi
46th min), K. Musona (K. Mahachi 80th min), K. Billiat. Herald
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