Online Reporter
Robson Sharuko
Metros Editor
THIRTY one years have passed, so much has happened but the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Zimbabwe versus DRC in an AFCON qualifier.
An Ebola outbreak in the vast Central African country.
The Warriors under a local coach – then, as now. Where you have Kaitano Tembo now, we had Gibson Homela back then.
Where you are now dancing to Grace Wave’s ‘Ndakainamatira Nyaya Iyoyi,’ we were dancing to Leonard Zhakata’s ‘Nhamo Dzenyika,’ back then.
Where you now have Radio Zimbabwe we had Radio 2, back then, and Zhakata’s classic won the number one spot on the Coca-Cola end-of-the-year charts.
Zhakata’s title of the song could have been used to describe what the Warriors went through in their ’96 AFCON qualifiers.
It was almost like fate was fighting against them.
Lesotho, whom we had hammered home-and-away, including a five-goal thrashing in which Vitalis Takawira scored a hat-trick, withdrew from the qualifiers.
Those goals, and results, were all nullified,
But, the hammer blow was yet to come.
An Ebola outbreak in the DRC changed everything.
The Warriors’ regular players refused to take the trip, fearing they could be barred from returning to their foreign bases, and a makeshift team was sent to fulfil the fixture.
“That trip was hell. Everyone was in fear of the deadly Ebola virus that had spread in that country during that time,” said Brenna Msiska.
“The entire team boycotted and decided to withdraw from the camp.
“The disease was portrayed in such a way that we would all die if we come into contact with those infected. There was a lot of misconception about everything.
“In other words, we just went there to fulfil a fixture as we never showed any zeal to compete.
“We were literally overrun by our opponents. Interestingly, our opponents were very surprised to see us avoiding physical contact with them. They eventually took advantage of our state and hit us for five.”
Fast forward three decades later, there is yet another Ebola outbreak in the DRC, which has so far killed more than one hundred and thirty people.
The death toll is rising rapidly.
And, once again, the Warriors find themselves in the same group, for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, with the DRC.
The other teams in the group are Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea.
The first two matches of the qualifiers are set for September 1 and October 6 this year.
The next two matches are set for November 9 to 17.
The final two rounds of matches are set for March 22 to March 30 next year.
The expectations are that by then, the latest Ebola outbreak in the DRC would probably have been contained.
The Warriors have been to the DRC, without the distractions that come with Ebola.
Sunday Chidzambwa guided them to a 2-1 win at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa on October 13, 2018.
Knowledge Musona, with a beauty, and Ronald Pfumbidzai, scored for the Warriors in that match.
However, the following year, the Leopards of DRC turned the tables as they thrashed the Warriors 4-0 at the 2019 AFCON finals in Egypt.
It was a befitting ending to a campaign at the finals at which the Warriors battled mayhem in their camp.
Instead of spending time at the training grounds, they were holed up at their hotel fighting the ZIFA bosses over money issues.
The Elephants are a better team now than they were in Egypt 2019.
They will be playing at their first World Cup in 52 years in the United States next month.
Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea will not be pushovers, too.
At least, for the first time since the Covid outbreak, the Warriors will be playing their home matches at their real home at the National Sports Stadium.
Let Grace Wave sing again.
Takainamatira Nyaya Iyoyi.
Bongani Ndlovu