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Ishemunyoro Chingwere in CAPE TOWN, South Africa
MASIMBA Mambare weathered a storm of insults from the boo-boys to emerge as the hero as the Warriors marched into the quarter-finals of the 2014 CHAN finals on Monday night.
The Zimbabwe international midfielder, given his first start of the tournament, was the target of the boo-boys, among the Warriors fans at Athlone in the must-win game against Burkina Faso, after a poor first half.
Mambare was one of the two players targeted by the boo-boys with the other being striker Simba Sithole (How Mine) who found the task of leading the line a very difficult mission on the night.
Such was the intensity of the booing that Warriors’ team manager, Shariff Mussa, was forced to go to the bay housing the Warriors fans, at half-time, pleading with them to give the players a chance. Mussa was warmly cheered by the lively Zimbabwean supporters.
Mambare arrived here low on confidence and very few would have given him a chance to be the hero that prolonged the Warriors stay here.
First he saw the captaincy taken away by defender Partson Jaure and then struggled with a niggling knee injury that forced him to seat out the team’s last training session before the tournament.
His second half header, the goal by the Warriors in their three group fixtures, was a major relief to both the player and his coach Ian Gorowa who should be commended for sticking with him.
Mambare, who connected a cross from the overlapping Milton Ncube, said he had developed a good understanding with the leftback after playing with him for the last four years at Motor Action and Highlanders.
“We have been playing very well, attacking non-stop and it was obvious that at some stage we will definitely score,” said Mambare.
“The good combination I have with Milton (Ncube) also helped. We have been playing together for four years so when he overlapped I knew exactly what type of a cross was coming, so my challenge was to be where I know he usually finds me.
“I really do not mind the jeering, I am now used to it even at club level supporters sometimes do it and it doesn’t affect me.
“I just said to myself I will continue playing my normal game and push harder for the team in the best possible way and the good thing is that it worked for us.”
Gorowa was vindicated for his decision to keep Mambare in the team despite clear signs that he was struggling down the right channel in a match where his former club-mate, Peter “Rio” Moyo, shone like a beacon in that central position.
“Of course, it was not the natural Masimba we know, probably because it was his first start here so, naturally, the nerves were there,” said Gorowa.
“But I told him that look, I am the coach here and it’s me who makes the decisions.
“You are going to continue and I want you to ignore the booing, pick up yourself and play your normal game, which he did and eventually scored the goal that has seen us through.
“I am also very happy with the contribution of the other guys who came in today and we can go from strength to strength,” said Gorowa.
Online Reporter