Zimbabwe……………………………………… (1) 2
Algeria…………………………………………… (2) 2
There was more sweet music for the nation when Botswana
stunned Zambia in a later Group H encounter to leave all the other three teams
with a chance of joining Algeria in Cameroon.
The Zebras won the match 1-0 to take their points tally to
four and move to third on the table while the Warriors are second with five
points and Zambia anchor with three points.
Dube, with his first touch after he was introduced towards
the end of this tough encounter and a late first half goal from skipper
Knowledge Musona, summed up a hectic day for the Warriors who had stared a
second defeat in four days against the same opponents in the qualifiers. The
Warriors lost the first leg 1-3 in Algiers last week and it appeared the script
was going to duplicate after Andy Delort and Manchester City superstar Riyad
Mahrez had put the visitors 2-0 up by the 38th minute.
“It’s not easy to come up against Algeria. We had expected
to win (at home) but then we conceded two naive goals from individual mistakes.
“We saw our weaknesses and we had to organise our
individual tactical moves as a group. We had to cover one another and not to
create a lot of space.
“Anyway, against the champions of Africa we were 0-2 down
and we came up and I am satisfied. But really we were pushing for three points.
But with the point we got we are still in control of our destiny in the group.
“I think everything depends on us right now for our
qualification. Still I am sure Zimbabwe can score goals against any team in
Africa,” said Logarusic.
Warriors coach Zdravko Logarusic, who had made some
questionable changes to the starting line-up, admitted they had a poor first
half and had to make four changes at the restart in frantic efforts to avoid
another hiding.
His bold but controversial decision of leaving some of
Zimbabwe’s best players like Khama Billiat, Alec Mudimu and Kuda Mahachi on the
bench was met with criticism.
Midfielder Tafadzwa Rusike, defender Jimmy Dzingai and
goalkeeper Talbert Shumba, who replaced injured Elvis Chipezeze, acquitted
themselves well.
But Zimbabwe’ problems in the left back position got even
worse yesterday with newboy Adam Chicksen, who had come in for Divine Lunga,
struggling to keep up with the pace of the Algerians. Just like the first leg
in Algiers last week, Zimbabwe had problems defending from the left where
Mahrez and fullback Mohamed Halaima found a highway.
And, after surviving three set-pieces from dangerous
positions, Zimbabwe were caught flatfooted in the 33rd minute when Algeria’s
striker, Delort, was given much room in the box to head home the opener.
Then Mahrez added the second five minutes later after he
expertly controlled the ball with his heel in full flight and turned Chicksen
inside-out before firing a low shot past goalkeeper, Shumba.
But Zimbabwe refused to throw in the towel. Tino Kadewere won
a free kick on the edge of the box and skipper Musona held his head in
disbelief after crashing the set-piece against the cross-bar in the 42nd
minute.
But the danger had not weathered enough for the visitors as
Zimbabwe were awarded another free kick, this time on a more promising
position, when Zemura was felled by an Algerian defender.
Warriors skipper Musona, who has somewhat become a
set-piece expert for the team, stood up again and his right curling shot gave
the goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi no chance.
Zimbabwe coach Logarusic realised his mistakes at the half
time and corrected by bringing in Mahachi, Billiat, Lunga and Ovidy Karuru at
half time.
The complexion of the game changed completely and the
Warriors took the fight to their superior opponents. Tino Kadewere had his
header tipped over the bar in the 56th minute before going wide with his shot
moments later from a set-up by Musona.
The turning point of the game however, was the introduction
of Dube in the 81st minute. Dube was at the right place at the right time when
Musona flighted in a corner kick from the left which was nodded over the
defenders by Lunga to find the forward waiting at the backpost.
The 23-year-old fired home the first time with his first
contribution to the game to beat a fumbling goalkeeper Mbolhi from close range.
Logarusic admitted his first half selection and tactics almost cost his side.
“The point is we thought Zemura and Chicksen, for example,
are a bit stronger and can give us that advantage from the left but then things
didn’t work out well.
“But I think David Moyo had a good job. He really proved
himself. In the second half we decided to organise and we took out David Moyo,
a big player, and we put Khama to try and re-organise and then we put
experienced player Ovidy because (Marvelous) Nakamba couldn’t do all the work
alone.
“At the end when we scored we pushed our captain to the
rightback because we started to play with three on the back when I put Prince
inside.
“When I was talking with my assistants they were always
insisting on Prince and I said Prince will score in the right time, in the
right place and in the right minute. And then I was waiting and juggling in my
mind Prince or Dzvukamanja and I said I couldn’t make a decision let me see.
But then I said Prince and he scored.
“Let us cool down a bit. I think if we can produce this
type of performance against Zambia or Botswana we should reach our target,”said
Loga. Herald
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