Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
Zimbabwe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0
Malawi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) 7
THE Mighty Warriors are out of the race for a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after an embarrassing defeat at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
But that’s not the actual story.
Malawi have the quality to upstage even the best on the continent, including Nigeria, as they did at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in July/August.
They have enough quality to help them secure a place at the 2027 World Cup to be played in Brazil.
In a way, carrying a 2-0 lead into yesterday’s return game, they were expected to dump Zimbabwe out of contention for the LA Games.
But the way the Mighty Warriors, under the tutelage of new coach Stella Gotal, froze on home soil was not only embarrassing, but unacceptable.
The way the Zimbabweans carried themselves, so passively, was unmatched and in the end they suffered their worst defeat in history.
That it was actually a 9-0 defeat on aggregate begs an inquiry into the way the girls played, especially yesterday.
The Chawinga sisters, Temwa and Tabitha, who bagged four goals between them, with the former getting a hat-trick, are of world-class standard, but Gotal and her girls were too casual for the occasion.
It was a bit perplexing to see Gotal going ultra-defensive in her approach with five defenders, who were often joined by Daisy Kaitano to make them six for most of the game.
That sort of invited the Malawians to ask most questions, and when Temwa broke the ice after only 10 minutes, it was hardly surprising.
For a team that gave a solid show in the reverse tie in Lilongwe last Friday and came back home with a realistic fighting chance, to concede the way they did in that opener wasn’t just worrying, but a bad omen for it all.
Temwa once again knocked and got a breakthrough 20 minutes later to take the game to the break with the Scorchers in firm control.
Gotal ought to have changed tactics and approach for the second stanza as she did in Malawi, but she retained the same deployment and how bad it proved in the end.
Before long after the breather, Tabitha scored the third for Malawi and her sister sealed her hat-trick soon after.
From that moment, Malawi just had to manage it out while Gotal tried everything to come back into the game, throwing in Rutendo Makore and Shyline Dambamuromo.
The tried and tested duo was just not up to the task, and it was Malawi instead who pounced even after the Chawinga sisters had been withdrawn. Chisomo Banda, Asimenye Simwaka and Sarah Mulimbika got a goal each, all from turnovers in which Zimbabwe were losing possession rather unnecessarily.
“It’s a building phase,” said Gotal.
“It’s a disappointing result, but we should take with us some positives we picked.
“We had a good first half, creating several chances, eight or nine, unlike what we did in the first game in Malawi.
“They have a good team if you look at it. They have world-class players who play in the best leagues in this world.
“It’s unfortunate we lost by such a margin, but it all comes down to the issue of mistakes that we made on our part. Congratulations to Malawi.”
Malawi coach Lovemore Fazili said although his team won 7-0, it wasn’t an easy game.
“Zimbabwe is a good team,” said Fazili.
“The good thing is that we managed to play well and get an early goal.
“That was the difference otherwise, the game was never going to be easy.”
Teams
Zimbabwe: Cynthia Shonga, Egness Tumbare, Emmaculate Msipa, Nokukhanya Nolovu, Ruvimbo Mucherera, Sasha Marikano (Rutendo Makore 63min), Daisy Kaitano, Danai Bhobho (Timukudzeishe Mudziviri 72min), Christabel Katona, Ethel Chinyerere (Alice Moyo 46min), Priviledge Mupeti (Maudy Mafuruse 80min)
Malawi: Mercy Sikelo, Chimwemwe Madise, Rose Kadzere, Asimenye Simwaka, Temwa Chawinga (Chisomo Banda 61min), Tabitha Chawinga (Sarah Mulimbika 61min), Madyina Nguluwe (Faith Chimzimu 46min), Letticia Chinyamula (Chikondi Gondwe 78min), Ireen Khumalo, Rose Alufandika, Benadetta Mkandawire (Maggie Chavula (78 min)
