Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi, Zimpapers Sports Hub
DESPITE suffering last-minute heartbreak in their opening Group B match at Afcon 2025 against continental heavyweights Egypt, Zimbabwe’s battling Warriors have won many admirers who believe they still have everything to play for in the remaining group fixtures.
Fans and pundits alike were charmed by the spirited performance from Marian “Mario” Marinica’s men in a David-versus-Goliath clash that delivered thrilling moments at both ends of the pitch.
Zimbabwe stunned the Pharaohs by scoring first in the opening 20 minutes, against the run of play, and managed to frustrate the North Africans until late in the second half when Egypt’s stars Omar Marmoush and Mohamed Salah came to the rescue. Salah’s winner was particularly crushing, arriving in the 91st minute after five minutes of added time had been indicated.
“We had a good game plan and it worked most of the time. However, Egypt had some good players and, as I said yesterday, Salah could score against Real Madrid three or four goals; he could score against us. We didn’t look to contain one player; we looked to contain the whole team and we did very well in phases. We created lots of chances for our stage.
“Unfortunately, it is heart-breaking to lose a match like this in the last few minutes. Probably if we had stuck to the game plan, we wouldn’t have lost. And, to be honest, I think the referee didn’t really help us because there was a lot of… you know,” said Marinica in his post-match interview.
Although Egypt dominated possession with 77,3 percent against Zimbabwe’s 22,7 percent, their finesse could not completely overshadow the Warriors’ resilience. The statistics did not tell the full story of how the Pharaohs were frustrated as Zimbabwe threw everything at them, taking a deserved lead at half-time courtesy of Prince Dube’s 20th-minute strike.
Zimbabwe had standout performances from Daniel Msendami, goal-scorer Prince Dube, tireless defender Gerald Takwara, and the surprise package Jonah Fabisch. Fabisch impressed in midfield in the absence of injured vice-captain Marshall Munetsi, delivering a committed display that unsettled some of Egypt’s biggest names.
Despite the defeat, the Warriors sit bottom of Group B ahead of their second match against Cosafa rivals Angola on Friday and South Africa next Monday. With both Zimbabwe and Angola losing their opening games — Angola fell 1-2 to South Africa — the Boxing Day clash has gained added significance as the old rivals fight to stay in contention for a knockout stage berth.
Even in defeat, the Warriors have won hearts, including that of one of their biggest supporters, Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Anselem Sanyatwe, who immediately rallied behind the team.
“To our Warriors, I salute your fighting spirit in the match against Egypt. Though the result was not in our favour, you showed courage, determination and pride in representing Zimbabwe on the Afcon stage.
“This is only the beginning; every setback is a lesson and every match is an opportunity to rise stronger. The nation stands firmly behind you. Keep your heads high, keep believing and keep fighting for the dream. We are proud of you,” said Minister Sanyatwe via X.
Zimbabwe football legend Esrom Nyandoro also believes the Warriors can bounce back, judging by Monday night’s performance.
“Well done to the boys. They showed why they are called Warriors and why it’s important to represent the badge of Zimbabwe. I know how they feel — I’ve been a player before. I think we did very well. The defence was solid. It’s unfortunate we came out of this game with no points. I’m disappointed, and I know the boys are too, but there are still two more games to go. We just have to lift our heads up, recover, and focus on Angola before thinking about South Africa. If we bring the same fight, we’ll get something,” Nyandoro said.
However, the game also sparked mixed reactions. While fans and pundits agreed on the team’s fighting spirit, debates raged over selection, substitutions, and tactics. Nyandoro questioned some positional choices.
“At some point, I didn’t understand why Teenage Hadebe played as a left-back while Divine Lunga was available. Maybe the coach didn’t want him to overlap, but Divine has done well against Salah before. Unfortunately, he was on the bench the whole game.
“And listen, we were scored by two brilliant superstars — Marmoush and Salah. Two brilliant goals. Tough luck to us and well done to Egypt. But the boys did very well. They made us proud.
“There’s hope and a future going forward. Let’s focus on Angola — I’m hopeful we’ll get three points,” said Nyandoro.
