Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
FOOTBALL fans yesterday turned Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport into a carnival and one would have been forgiven for thinking they were welcoming back a Warriors team that has achieved significant success in a major tournament.
But who can blame them for showing their heroes so much love after their historic comeback that saw them beat Sierra Leone 3-2 in a Group E 2027 Africa Cup of Nations opener in Morocco on Thursday night?
It was the greatest comeback story ever written by Zimbabwe and the manner in which they overturned a 2-0 half-time deficit has raised expectations among fans who gave them a heroes’ welcome yesterday.
It was difficult to think that these players were only arriving after winning just one game of the qualifiers in a group in which they will be looking to grab one of the slots for the Afcon finals next year.
But that is what happens if the national side plays well and gets results on the board.
The pomp that greeted them should have surprised even the players themselves and captain Marvelous Nakamba summed it up.
“This massive welcome is humbling,” said Nakamba.
“We feel that we are really home. The fans have come in their numbers and we can only thank the whole nation for standing firmly behind us.
“We are really grateful for all this.”
Perhaps the fact that Zimbabwe will be playing their next home game at home for the first time in five years should have influenced the fans to show up in their numbers.
The Warriors will play DR Congo at the National Sports Stadium on Monday looking to overtake the Congolese who top the group by virtue of having a superior goal difference to Zimbabwe after they beat Equatorial Guinea also on Thursday.
“We are excited to be back home, playing at home again,” said Nakamba.
“It is a good feeling just to think we will play in front of our fans again.”
Nakamba explained that falling 2-0 behind at the interval felt nightmarish before coach Ramon Catala, in charge of the Warriors for the first time, encouraged them to deny the Leone Stars the ball in the second half.
Catala made a masterstroke move by shifting from a 4-3-3 to a 3-4-3 formation at the resumption, taking off struggling right-back Sean Fusire, a questionable pick ahead of Emmanuel Jalai, for Bill Antonio.
Everything started to click and further introductions of Jalai, Divine Lunga, Corbin Mthunzi and Abubakar Moffat further strengthened the team.
Nakamba added: “It was like a tough time, like he spoke with the team to say, we had to believe in ourselves, believe in his philosophy also, and keep on doing the things that he told us. So we just had to move the ball a little bit more quickly and keep the possession. He said the more we dominate with the possession, the more we can have the chance to win the game.[Catala]
“I think it was a good win for the country. So now I think it’s water under the bridge, looking forward to the next match on Monday now.
“The boys, I think they did well, and the morale is high now. Of course, now we just have to focus on the next match.”
Nakamba knows DR Congo will be more difficult to break down than Sierra Leone but is confident the Warriors will deliver.
