Sundaymail Editor
Langton Nyakwenda
Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE are unbeaten in their last 17 COSAFA Cup soccer matches, but that record comes under severe threat today when the stuttering Warriors face buoyant Namibia, the last team to inflict a defeat on them back in 2015.
The Warriors have not lost a COSAFA Cup match in regulation time since May 21, 2015 when they were clobbered 4-1 by Namibia in a group game at the Moruleng Stadium in South Africa’s North West province.
The other time Zimbabwe lost a COSAFA Cup match during this period, was after a penalty shootout against Zambia in a 2019 semi-final clash.
And the Warriors, who have been as lethargic as they have been clueless in their last two games in the current competition, come up against a confident Brave Warriors in a decisive Group B encounter at the Isaac Wolfson Stadium in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, Port Elizabeth, South Africa this afternoon.
The match, in which the Warriors cannot afford another slip-up, gets underway at 2pm.
Namibia lead Group B with three points from a single match, followed by Senegal who have the same number of points from two matches.
Zimbabwe are third with two points from as many games while Malawi and Mozambique have one point each.
The Warriors have drawn their opening two matches of the 20th edition of the COSAFA Cup.
While they were clueless in their 0-0 draw against Mozambique, the Warriors were disjointed in their second assignment against Malawi on Friday, in which they fought from 2-0 down to snatch a 2-2 draw.
CAPS United midfielder Blessing Sarupinda and Harare City star Ben Patrick Musaka were on target for the Warriors who had skipper Ovidy Karuru named Man of the Match.
It was coach Zdravko “Loga” Logarusic’s 10th match in charge of Zimbabwe.
The Croatian gaffer has one victory, four draws and five defeats.
Zimbabwe’s lifeless shows at the tournament have once again brought to the fore questions about Loga’s capacity to guide the Warriors to success.
The defiant coach will be without injured veteran central defender Jimmy Dzingai (foot) while left back Qadr Amini is a doubtful starter.
Loga, however, remains optimistic his charges will turn on the magic.
He has also been blaming the Covid-19 induced absence of the local league since 2019 for his team’s sluggishness.
“Let’s show who we are. If we want to go far, we have to face Namibia, we have to face Senegal, and see how things go.
“I am still optimistic, no reason not to be,” Loga said.
After today’s game, the Warriors will wind up their Group B campaign with a date against Senegal on Tuesday.
With the top two teams progressing to the semi-final, the match against the Teranga Lions could become academic for the Warriors if they lose to the Brave Warriors this afternoon.
Although Loga indicated that he wants to use this tournament to assess some of the players he thinks can gatecrash into the Warriors squad for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers that begin in September, what has been on show has done little to suggest he can pick any new faces from the side that is in Port Elizabeth.
Loga on Friday made four changes to the starting line-up that faced Mozambique in the opener, introducing Dynamos forward King Nadolo, MacClive Phiri, Musaka and CAPS United’s Richard Hachiro.
They replaced Tatenda Tavengwa, Shadreck Nyahwa, Brian Banda and Farau Matare who started in the 0-0 draw against the Mambas.
However, the changes did little to convince Zimbabweans who have been watching the games on TV or via live streaming.
Instead, it is the Warriors’ rich and proud history with this tournament that could go up in smoke under Loga’s watch.
Zimbabwe are record six time champions and have played a total of 62 matches since the COSAFA Cup was incepted in 1997.
They have won 38, drawn 17 and lost seven matches.
The two teams have met on four occasions since 1997 with each recording two wins.
Namibia, who beat Senegal 2-1 in their opening match, have respect for record champions Zimbabwe, but their coach Bobby Samaria revealed that he has a strategy for the Warriors.
Although The Brave Warriors are without star striker, Peter Shalulile, who turns out for South African champions Mamelodi, they can look up to a fired up Elmo Kambindu.
Kambindu, who is on the verge of sealing a move to Mozambican side Costa do Sol, scored a brilliant header in the 2-1 victory over Senegal.
“Kambindu is our talisman in the absence of Peter Shalulile. We qualified for CHAN because of Kambindu. He is very important in our strategy.
“Zimbabwe are very strong, six-time champions, (but) with us you have to come and see us, we change the strategy by each game,” Samaria told COSAFA media.
Football in Namibia resumed in April after two years of dormancy which was caused by administrative power struggles and the coronavirus.
However, authorities there temporarily stopped all contact sports in June, as a measure to curtail the spread of Covid-19.
It has also emerged that the Warriors’ technical crew are exploring the option of adding three more players should they win today.
This comes as COSAFA organisers have introduced several measures to assist teams with a compacted fixture list at the tourney.
A change in format to 10 teams in two pools of five has added an additional match to the tournament for all teams and opens the potential of player fatigue.
To that end, teams will be able to add an additional three players to their squads from their third game of the competition to lessen the load.
Zimbabwe vs Namibia COSAFA Cup Head to Head
March 16, 1997 — Namibia 2-1 Zimbabwe
April 19, 1998 — Zimbabwe 5-2 Namibia
May 14, 2000 — Zimbabwe 3-2 Namibia
May 21, 2015 — Namibia 4-1 Zimbabwe
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