Mugove Chigada in YAOUNDE, Cameroon
Equatorial Guinea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0)0
Zimbabwe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0)0
WARRIORS coach Ramon Catala believes his charges can improve and fight for a win at the National Sports Stadium on Monday.
That is after they played out a goalless draw against Equatorial Guinea in Yaounde, Cameroon, last night.
“Sometimes the opponent comes playing good football and today was such a day,” Catala said.
It was a match in which goalkeeper Nelson Chadya was the hero for the Warriors.
Even the opposition admitted the Scottland goalkeeper had made the difference.
It was at the start of the second half that the Warriors could have dropped all three points.
Catala was even forced to withdraw Tawanda Chirewa for Emmanuel Jalai, with Andy Rinomhota moved into midfield.
“We need greater control in the midfield,” he said.
Right from the start, there was a cautious opening from both teams, with Equatorial Guinea creating the first clear chance.
The Warriors pressed from the front to force the home side into mistakes, and Tino Kadewere committed a foul in the process.
By the 13th minute, Equatorial Guinea were trying to hit Zimbabwe on the break, but found Corbin Mthunzi and Kevin Moyo solid.
Kadewere was then brought down in the centre after coming to receive the ball, with neither side enjoying a clear-cut advantage in the opening minutes.
After 20 minutes, Dorian Meha was brought down for Equatorial Guinea and they took a quick free-kick. They ended up losing possession, however, and Zimbabwe were quickly on the counter.
A dangerous free-kick from Pablo then went out for a corner, which Zimbabwe cleared away. Four minutes later, Chirewa broke forward for the Warriors and his effort missed by inches after coming in from the right.
At the other end, Chadya was immediately called into action to make a save. On the half-hour mark, Equatorial Guinea were looking very dangerous on the break, with Dorian and Lorenzo asking all kinds of questions.
Munetsi and Nakamba needed to stamp their authority in the middle of the park. Chirewa released Kadewere, but the ball was too strong for what could have been a big chance.
It was end-to-end action, with Zimbabwe clearing immediately after another counter. On 36 minutes, Munetsi stopped Alejandro in the middle of the pitch as he tried to control the game. Equatorial Guinea were awarded the free-kick and the Warriors vice-captain escaped a yellow card.
The home side then began overloading their left side, leaving Rinomhota to deal with two men as they searched for an opener.
On 40 minutes, Kadewere produced a moment of brilliance at one end, but Equatorial Guinea immediately countered through Dorian Meha. The Warriors survived as there was no one to finish.
In the final minute of the half, Munetsi tried his luck from distance.
His effort went wide, although he had other options, with Maswanhise, Bill Antonio and Chirewa all wanting the ball. Equatorial Guinea looked content to contain Zimbabwe for now and settle for the break.
In the second half, Equatorial Guinea started on fire, with Chadya saving the day on 47 minutes.
A minute later, another free-kick from Pablo forced Chadya to push the ball out for a corner, which went over, and it was clear the Warriors would need to take control or concede.
By the 53rd minute, it was wave after wave from Equatorial Guinea and it was beginning to look like Chadya against the home team, with the goalkeeper having made about six saves in the space of four minutes, leaving Zimbabwe in desperate need of greater control.
On 55 minutes, Rinomhota was booked for a professional foul, and although the resulting dangerous free-kick was survived by the Warriors, Maswanhise broke forward to find no support, before Jalai came on for Chirewa.
Three minutes later, Rinomhota moved into midfield to join Munetsi and Nakamba, as the Warriors switched to a more 4-3-3 shape in the hope of controlling the game and giving Munetsi the chance to go forward, and immediately Zimbabwe showed life when Kadewere’s effort was saved.
Equatorial Guinea then made a change of their own, with Cristian Bokoya coming on for Lorenzo, the man who had been causing all sorts of problems.
On 65 minutes, Equatorial Guinea had reduced the intensity and were now building patiently from the back, and they almost broke through the middle before, luckily for the Warriors, the referee blew for an infringement, with Chadya immediately called upon for another save.
Five minutes later, Santiago tried to bully Jalai but found him unyielding.
Kadewere got a brilliant pass from Munetsi but failed to put his effort over the goalkeeper, who was oof line.
On 75 minutes, Bill Antonio went off and Daniel Msendami came on for Zimbabwe. Four minutes later, Equatorial Guinea came close twice inside a minute, with the Warriors not controlling the game and Chadya down injured, which only gave Zimbabwe time to re-organise, as the home side had the momentum.
On 87 minutes, there was a power failure with the score still goalless.
It was a nervy end to the match, with both sides now defending in numbers once they lost the ball.
The momentum was gone with that. At the end, Catala demanded better from the organisers, as both teams settled for a point ahead of Monday’s return in Harare.
Equatorial Guinea: Marcos Saka, Dorian Meha, Jannick Sam, Lorenzo Owono (Cristian Bokoya), Basilio Nchama, Alejandro Bandeira, Saul Oubina, Santiago Eneme (Gael 74), Esteban Fernandez, Pablo Comire, Emmanuel Aangue.
Zimbabwe: Nelson Chadya, Andy Rinomhota (Aboubakar Moffat 70 min), Corbin Mthunzi, Kevin Moyo, Jordan Zemura, Marvelous Nakamba, Marshall Munetsi, Tawanda Chirewa (Emmanuel Jalai 55 min), Tawanda Maswanhise, Bill Antonio (Daniel Msendami 75 min), Tino Kadewere.
