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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
ANDREW Mbeba has just endured an afternoon to forget.
He has had his full Warriors debut against Rwanda in a 2026 World Cup qualifier at Huye Stadium, Butare in the mountainous East African country.
Fans back home expect the Warriors to snatch the full points against a team that has always struggled against Zimbabwe.
But this is the first time that the Warriors are in action after close to two years given they had been frozen out by FIFA in the 18-month-period preceding this showdown.
Four days later, on November 19, 2023, the Baltemar Brito charges will face continental powerhouse Nigeria at the same venue.
The Warriors, by virtue of not having a certified stadium to host international matches, will be the home team.
That Zimbabwe have always found the going tough in games against Nigeria makes the Rwanda match the all-important.
But the new-look Warriors outfit look like they are never used to playing on a dilapidated astro turf.
They show a lot of nerves and despite fashioning out two decent scoring chances which Terrence Dzvukamanja and Admiral Muskwe fluff, Rwanda dominate every inch of action and have themselves to blame for allowing the Warriors to come out of this one with a point.
Of course Warriors goalkeeper Donovan Bernard, himself making his full debut for the national team, should get much of the credit for keeping Rwanda at bay.
With veterans Gerald Takwara and Teenage Hadebe twinning in central defence and Divine Lunga playing left-back, most of the Rwandese forays are blamed on greenhorn right-back Mbeba.
He drops his head at the end of this encounter. He divides social media opinion as critics think he has been the team’s weakest link although he hasn’t made any mistake which has led to the Warriors conceding.
Mbeba is not a fan of social media though and he rarely comes across the somewhat ruthless criticism.
But he knows he hasn’t done well in that game. “Team manager Clement Matawu came to me after that game and said there were so many positives that I could build on,” said Mbeba.
“He told me that I was not supposed to pinch myself. He gave me so much confidence”. Two days later and as many days before the battle against Nigeria, Brito has a heart to heart discussion with Mbeba.
“He (Brito) said I was going to start in the game against Nigeria,” Mbeba recalled.
“It surprised me but then I said to myself, this is my redemption chance.
“I knew I had not played well against Rwanda so I had to pull up against Nigeria…”
Mbeba was in no-nonsense mood against the Super Eagles.
He clipped Nigeria skipper Moses Simon’s wings as he decisively dealt with every attempted run the speedy winger had.
The Bosso stalwart was also effective in offence, even completing two dribbles.
But the highlight of his afternoon was clearing a perfectly executed indirect free kick by Nigeria right on the line when Bernard had been beaten. “I just thought let me drift back a bit in case the thicket of our defence would be beaten. Suddenly the ball was rolled across and I was right there on the line…”.
He became the hero of the afternoon as Zimbabwe picked a point following a 1-1 draw with Walter Musona opening the scoring with a first-half beauty of a free kick.
And for Mbeba, the draw seemed like a win given his heroics exactly four days after he had been blamed riddiculed left, right and centre.
“Football is like that. I would like to thank the technical team and all my Warriors teammates. Everyone was encouraging me after that match against Rwanda”.
Yet this was Mbeba’s first full term playing in right-back.
He made a name for himself after being promoted from the Highlanders Juniors in 2018 playing in central defence.
His combination with Peter Muduhwa at the heart of Bosso defence was the envy of many. He even captained the Zimbabwe Under-20 squad that picked silver at the Cosafa tournament in Zambia in 2019 while playing as a CB.
But the arrival of Brito at Bosso changed everything.
Crispen Ncube was already developing into a gem playing at the right side of defence for the Bulawayo giants while Mbongeni Ndlovu had developed into a household name at left-back.
But Brito wasn’t okay with Mbeba and Muduhwa playing central defence because both are right-footed.
“Brito said he needed someone who is a natural left-footer to partner either Muduhwa or me in central defence.
“It puzzled us but we needed to adjust. Mbongeni had to move into centre-back then I said I could play as a right-back. Everything is history”.
Growing up in Barbourfields, Bulawayo, Mbeba used to admire how Bosso’s yesteryear heroes like Gilbert Banda and Innocent Mapuranga would be feted like kings.
But it was in 2014 when he truly fell in love with football when he was recruited as a ball-boy for the Africa Union Region 5 Games hosted in Bulawayo.
“Our Under-20 team had the likes of Denzel Khumalo in their fold. Denzel was someone I personally knew and to see him doing wonders in that tournament made me want to work hard.
“I was at Mzilikazi with the likes of Archford Faira (current Highlanders left-back) and (Hwange captain) Kelly Shiyandindi.
“I started working very hard until I was recruited into the Highlanders development team and eventually the Bosso senior team”.
For Brito, Mbeba epitomises greatness.
“Andrew (Mbeba) is a complete player and he is still very young. If he continues to work hard, I know he will become a very big player both locally and internationally,” said Brito.
“His work ethic is very good. He wants to achieve and that drives him a lot. He is also a match-winner despite being a defender”.
Muduhwa, who helped in the young Mbeba’s integration into the Bosso senior team said the 24-year-old is a marvel to play with.
“You know when you have Mbeba in the team, you are complete. He is a hard worker and encourages everyone,” said Muduhwa.
“He is still young but his heart is very big. He does everything with a lot of passion”.
Mbeba won the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Rookie of the Year in 2018.
And this year, after scoring four goals and registering 10 assists, Mbeba was deservedly voted amongst the Best 11 of the season in a term Bosso finished fifth on the log.
Online Reporter