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on Sunday night following their botched trip to the Guinea capital.
The Warriors with just 14 players, their German coach Klaus Dieter Pagels and physiotherapist Farai Muguwe in the dressing room at the September 28 Stadium in Conakry, battled but still came second best following a 1-0 loss to the Sylie National.
There had been conflicting reports indicating that the Warriors may have lost 2-0 but it emerged that striker Mohammed Yattara’s second goal on the night, right at the death, was not allowed to stand.
Referee Hamada Nampiandraza ruled that the ball had gone out of play before the cross was whipped for the France-based striker Yattara to connect home.
But Yattara’s 39th minute was allowed to stand and it condemned the Warriors to their third straight defeat in their African Zone Group G and left them firmly anchored at the bottom of the table with one point and 14 behind leaders Egypt.
However, the Pharaohs sealed their passage to the final qualifying round in an earlier match when they beat Mozambique 1-0 in Maputo.
Due to the shambolic travel arrangements, Mutasa did not connect from Senegal to Guinea and had to be content with watching the game on Senegalese television in Dakar.
Mutasa was in the company of fellow assistant coach Peter Ndlovu, acting team manager Patrick Mutesva, Zifa board member and head of delegation, Benedict Moyo, and team chef Paradzai Manjonjo in Dakar after they failed to connect.
The five officials failed to get seats on the connecting flight to Conakry and ended up watching the delayed match on television from the Zimbabwean Embassy in Dakar.
Speaking from Dakar, yesterday, Mutasa said it would have needed a miracle for Zimbabwe to get three points in Guinea.
Before the match, Guinea had an outside chance of fighting for a slot in the next round but that was only subject to Egypt losing to Mozambique but once in-form Pharaohs striker Mohammed Salah found the winner in Maputo, the encounter in Conakry became a dead rubber.
Mutasa said it was imporant to give credit to the players who did duty in Guinea under very difficult conditions but still kept the scoreline respectable.
“The coach (Pagels) says it was going to be difficult to expect a positive result from this match. Everyone is aware of the poor organisation leading to the game and the players only arrived a few hours before the game.
“The players did not have time to adjust to the environment.
“Despite all the problems in organisation, the youngsters gave a good account. There was a bit of an improvement in this game from the one we played against Egypt,” said Mutasa.
Pagels was short of technical support on the bench as he only had physiotherapist Muguwe who also acted as doctor and team manager for the 14 players who were in Conakry.
The Warriors, who had only their national pride to play for in this match, appeared to hold their own with veteran goalkeeper Washington Arubi standing firm between the posts until Yattara struck in the 39th minute.
Hwange debutant Eric Chipeta played as the right back while Ocean Mushure was on the left flank with Felix Chindungwe and Lincoln Zvasiya being the centre backs.
Pagels congested his midfield and employed five men in that department — skipper Denver Mukamba, Archford Gutu, Devon Chafa, Masimba Mambare and Tafadzwa Rusike.
Bloemfontein Celtics man Roderick Mutuma played as the lone forward before he was replaced by Cuthbert Malajila while Mambare created room for Harare City’s Silas Songani on the hour.
Mutasa refused to accept that Guinea might have taken the foot off the pedal after learning that Egypt had won the group.
“Personally, I think Guinea tried their best during the match. I do not think they had been aware that Egypt had qualified.
“But I believe we made an improvement and if only we had travelled well, maybe we could have brewed a shocker,” said Mutasa.
If they thought they had endured the last of their chaotic trip on the way to Guinea, Pagels and his men had to endure a night at the airport in Dakar after flying out of Conakary just a few hours after their match.
Unlike Moyo and the officials who had been holed up in Dakar over the weekend, Pagels and his troops did not have visas to enter Senegal and had to put up on the seats at the Leopold Sedar Senghor International Airport overnight.
Zimbabwe Embassy officials in the West African country were reportedly trying to help them secure a passage into Senegal for at least a day until they connected to Harare via Nairobi.
The Warriors were, however, set to reunite with their countrymen with the 23-member delegation expected to leave Dakar last night and could be arriving in Harare today.
But CAPS United defender, Hardlife Zvirekwi, who lost his passport during the stop-over in Kenya and was forced to abort his Guinea trip, arrived back home earlier on Sunday.
Teams:
Guinea
Abdoul Keita, Mohamed Yattara, Sylla Issiaga, Sadio Diallo (Guy Landel 85th min), Ibrahima Traore, Ibrahima Conte, Lanfia Camara, Ourmar Kalabane, Mohamed Diarra (Habib Balbe 46th min), Seydoba Soumah (Alhassnae Bangoura 64th min), Kamil Zayatte
Zimbabwe
Washington Arubi, Eric Chipeta, Ocean Mushure, Felix Chindungwe, Lincoln Zvasiya, Denver Mukamba, Devon Chafa. Tafadzwa Rusike, Masimba Mambare (Silas Songani 60th min), Archieford Gutu, Rodreck Mutuma (Cuthbert Malajila 60th min)
Sub Not used: (Maxwell Nyamupangendu)
Online Reporter