Online Reporter
Mugove Chigada
Zimpapers Sports Hub
BEFORE a ball was kicked, the familiar faces gave Zimbabwe reason to believe.
On one flank, Ogege with a painted belly, glistening like a walking flag.
On the other, Chemofela in that hilarious, ill-fitting suit that only he could carry off.
Along with a band of other faithful, they represented all that is beautiful about this game.
It was a homecoming for the Warriors, and what a welcome, one of the fastest-rising sides in Africa, DRC, in town. And long before kick-off, the Warriors knew exactly what they were up against. Yoane Wissa, in particular, needs no introduction in these parts.
One of the most ruthless attackers on the continent, he is menace in boots and when he conjured a moment of brilliance to score the first in the 30th minute and lay on the second goal just before the break for Samuel Moutoussamy, it confirmed every Zimbabwean fear that had been whispered in the terraces.
“If we had scored first, the match could have been different. We have to avoid conceding first,” Warriors coach Ramon Catala concluded.
After the restart, Wissa went again. Speed, that sudden, cruel take-off, tormenting the Warriors down the flank before hitting the upright.
This is a man who had troubled England at the World Cup, who has shown that very class at Newcastle United.
Yet here, under the Harare sky at the National Sports Stadium, there remained a stubborn glimmer, the irrational, glorious hope that a miracle might still be forged against the odds.
The comeback against Sierra Leone in the first Group E match of these AFCON qualifiers had given Zimbabwe licence to dream.
But 2-0 down before the break against this talented DRC side? That was a mountain, not a hill.
It told its own story when last season’s Scottish Premiership top scorer, Tawanda Maswanhise, was pulled off before the second half.
He, too, had found the going tough against Aston Villa’s Wan-Bissaka on that Warriors right channel. Thando Ngwenya, the man who has scored in seven consecutive matches in the Betway Premiership, could not get enough supply.
Marshall Munetsi, one of the most experienced Warriors, tried to huff and puff. He never gave up, and it wasn’t surprising when he scored his third goal in two matches for the Warriors.
“They have shown they are a good team and we want to continue working with them,” Catala concluded. He added more matches together will help the team gel.
And if there was a man who played his heart out, it was Marvellous Nakamba.
He did not disappoint, but in the end, this was too heavy a burden for one man to carry.
Sunderland star Noah Sadiki made it more than a nightmare. History will remember that on this day, the Warriors gave their all.
The bravery to hunt down this Leopard deserves credit. Yet the inability to gel as the game wore on left a lot to be desired.
It was three points lost, but perhaps Zimbabwe won something beyond the white lines.
The fans painted the National Sports Stadium green and yellow, a living mural.
And when Tawanda Chirewa was substituted in the 83rd minute, it was a sign.
“We will live to fight another day,” Catala seemed to say. Many will look back at the build-up to this match and agree, it must have been love.
