Warriors wallop Botswana

Tadious Manyepo, Zimpapers Sports Hub

Botswana 0-3 Zimbabwe
NOW that’s fast and furious.

Now that’s thinking fast, moving the ball fast, executing the pass fast and pulling the trigger very fast.
Those are the components which Warriors coach Marian “Mario” Marinica spelt out when he was appointed to the helm last November.

And they were all in full display when Zimbabwe executed this massacre in the semifinal of the Four Nations tournament at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium last night.

Winger Bill Antonio was the chief whip with a brace of assists for flying newboy Mongameli Tshuma and Macauley Bonne and a goal of his in a dominant first half that all but secured a final berth with Zambia on Tuesday at the same venue.

Chipolopolo beat Malawi 9-8 on penalties whose long duration ate a chunk of warmup time for Zimbabwe and Botswana whose kickoff time had to be moved by a quarter of an hour to 6:30pm.

And when the match-up eventually kicked off, Zimbabwe showed they were in it to wrap it up.

But then, facing a full Zebras side, they were a bit jittery especially in the final third before they settled, and thankfully, early enough.

Before Botswana even got themselves into it, Godknows Murwira, playing high up down the left channel, switched play to Emmanuel Jalai who laid it on to Antonio.

The Belgium-based star locked his marker down before sending a super cross that Tshuma expertly guided home to open the scoring for the guests with 22 minutes on the clock.
Just before that, Teenage Hadebe had fluffed a good chance when flicked on by Jonah Fabisch a Gerald Takwara long throw.

Then the floodgates opened.

Ten minutes later, Antonio was repeating his magic on the right flank before rolling yet another cross that Bonne did justice to.

And the match was as good as done from then on given how the Warriors were dominating proceedings.
Botswana tried to punch back but they couldn’t match the midfield genius in captain Marvelous Nakamba and Fabisch.

There was simply no way through for them.
Then just a minute before the break, Bonne ran down the left before crossing to Antonio who hit the roof net from close range.

What was left for Zimbabwe was just to manage it off.

And that’s what they did, thanks to Marinica whose changes ensured the solidity that the Warriors needed at the back.

But the clean sheet didn’t come without real threats as goalkeeer Elvis Chipezeze had to summon all his elasticity to save a penalty conceded by Hadebe late in.

Marinica said: “I would say that was quite a difficult match. Yes, you could say that we made it easy at some point, but Botswana is not an easy team.

“They have good players who are quite fast, and they gave us different problems in the second half. “On the other hand, the players did an absolutely perfect job looking at the way we started in the first half.

“We had a game plan. The game plan worked to perfection in the first half.

“On the other hand, I’m extremely pleased we had a little bit of time, not too much time, and we tried to integrate some players, more experience, with some players, with a bit less experience, and it was a fantastic exercise for us.

“I think, having said that, we need this type of matches more often, and I think it’s for the benefit of every single country to have these friendly competitive matches to get us a chance to expose the players and to give them, you know, exposure. At the same time, the experience that we needed, you know, to go and win major competitions.”

Antonio, who was the darling of the stadium at the sound of the final whistle said: “As a team we are happy. It’s always good to win. It’s for the country, it’s for the fans.”

This is the first time in decades that Zimbabwe scores three without conceding.
Teams

Botswana: Ezekiel Morake, Botsile Sakana, Tlamelo Kolagano, Noco Babutsi, Ratlhogo Ratlogo,Theo Shadikong (Omphile Ramoagi 46min), Monty Enosa, Lotsika Ratshuku (Godfrey Tauyatswala 46min), Erick Ookame, Tshepo Keselebale, Tebogo Kopelang.

Zimbabwe: Elvis Chipezeze, Emmanuel Jalai (Andrew Mbeba 74min), Gerald Takwara, Munashe Garananga (Isheanesu Mauchi 20min), Teenage Hadebe, Jonah Fabisch, Marvelous Nakamba, Godknows Murwira (Shane Maroodza 74min), Mongameli Tshuma (Panashe Makwiramiti 82min), Bill Antonio (Daniel Msendami 46min), Maculey Bonne (Washington Navaya 82min).