adminJOHANNESBURG. — Zimbabwe finally produced a performance befitting their quality when dispatching Swaziland 4-0 on Monday, but Guinea’s 3-1 win over Malawi barely 24 hours later could see the battle for Group L’s automatic ticket to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals going right down to the wire.
Zimbabwe have risen to the top of the pool with eight points from four matches but second-placed Guinea, on five, now only need to beat Swaziland away in the next round of matches in June to bring themselves back into the picture. Assuming that Zimbabwe beat Malawi in their next encounter, the group winners would then be decided in the final showdown between the Warriors and Guinea in Conakry.
A victory for the West Africans could see them winning the Group on the back of a better head-to-head record over Zimbabwe, who are desperate to make the Afcon finals for the first time in a decade. Should they fall short again, coach Calisto Pasuwa’s team would have no one but themselves to blame after failing to beat a vulnerable Guinea side in the reverse fixture last September.
That match ended in a 1-1 draw.
The Warriors again had the chance to make amends last Friday only to stutter to another 1-1 draw away to Swaziland.
But on Monday Zimbabwe were a transformed side as they produced a pulsating second-half display to reduce Sihlangu to their rightful size. Belgium-based star Knowledge Musona opened the scoring with an impudent spot kick just after the break.
Central defender Costa Nhamoinesu, along with forwards Evans Rusike and Khama Billiat, were also on target as Zimbabwe registered arguably their most emphatic victory in recent years. But the euphoria which greeted that result has since fallen by the sobering realisation that the Afcon ticket could yet elude the Warriors again.
While some Warriors’ fans were under the impression that goal difference would be considered first in the event of a stalemate, Caf rules for the tournament clearly state that “the team with the greatest number of points obtained in matches between the two teams concerned” will be ranked higher. There is still the possibility that Swaziland, who actually beat Guinea 2-1 in the reverse fixture, can do Zimbabwe a favour and replicate that performance at home.
Yet, if anything, Guinea’s victory in Malawi on Tuesday has served to confirm the West Africans’ fine form on the road.
For his part, Zimbabwe coach Pasuwa has a potentially exciting team at his disposal, one whose development would be aided immensely from playing at the Afcon finals next year.
The team’s second-half performance in the demolition of Swaziland on Monday foretells better times ahead. Pasuwa did well to ring the changes after the team’s poor display in Swaziland just three days earlier. Tellingly, he replaced defensive linkman Danny Phiri, being with the classy Marvellous Nakamba of Dutch top-flight side Vitesse. Nakamba grabbed his chance with gusto, perfecting the role of a deep lying playmaker and proving he is a more effective partner for Willard Katsande than Phiri.
Creative, quick thinking and precise, Nakamba’s ability to find pockets of space in crowded areas is an invaluable attribute for a central midfielder. He is also capable of playing the quick one-twos, a quality which makes him effective in the link up play with the team’s other flair players like Musona, Billiat and Kuda Mahachi.
Right-back Hardlife Zvirekwi and winger Mahachi also did their chances of becoming regulars no harm with some fine performances.
Centre striker Nyasha Mushekwi had a better match but again he could not score. Yet there was still room for another gaffe from Pasuwa, who inexplicably decided to start with young Marshall Mudehwe on the wing.
The move only served to expose the nervy FC Platinum player to the wrath of the fans as he consistently killed off promising moves. — Goal.com.
Online Reporter