The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S road to Gabon started way back in June 2015 at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre, Malawi until qualification was guaranteed almost a year later at the National Sports Stadium.
It is the third time that the Warriors will be appearing at the biggest football competition on the continent following their maiden dance in Tunisia in 2004 and their second appearance in Egypt in 2006.
The Warriors, drawn against Guinea, Malawi and Swaziland in Group L topped the standings with 11 points. Kalisto Pasuwa’s side recorded three wins, two draws and one defeat in the six matches they played.
Kaizer Chiefs defensive midfielder Willard Katsande was appointed the Warriors captain ahead of the qualifiers. Zimbabwe’s qualification process started off on a rocky start when the players refused to travel to Malawi after a standoff with the Zimbabwe Football Association. That saw them miss their flight to Malawi and ended up travelling by road. Images of Pasuwa with a blanket wrapped around his body before boarding Munorurama Bus Services did not show signs of a nation serious about being among the best in the continent come January 2017.
However, Khama Billiat opened the scoring in the 23rd minute before John Banda equalised for the home team a minute later. Veteran striker Cuthbert Malajila found the winning goal for the Warriors seven minutes before the end as Zimbabwe sealed a 2-1 victory.
A 1-1 draw followed against Guinea at Rufaro Stadium on 6 September 2015, a match where the Warriors came from behind. Idrissa Sylla was handed an easy goal by Zimbabwean goalkeeper Washington Arubi in the second minute but Knowledge Musona levelled matters in the 34th minute to make sure the Warriors got a point.
Another stalemate came on 25 March last year, this time against Swaziland in Lobamba when the Warriors had again fallen to a second minute goal scored by Felix Badenhorst. Zimbabwe fought hard and were rewarded when Njabulo Ndlovu beat his own goalkeeper a minute before halftime.
The campaign went a gear up three days later when the Warriors massacred Sihlangu 4-0 at the National Sports Stadium.
Musona opened the scoring with a 52nd minute penalty, his goal followed by strikes from Costa Nhamoinesu, Evans Rusike and Billiat.
Zimbabwe booked their place in Gabon on 5 June last year at the National Sports Stadium with a 3-0 thumping they handed out to Malawi. Musona converted a 15th minute penalty before Billiat and Malajila completed the rout. With Swaziland 1-0 victorious over Guinea in Lobamba, Zimbabwe were confirmed as the winners of the four-team group.
The campaign ended on a losing note with Zimbabwe beaten 1-0 by Guinea in Conakry in September last year. Of the 11 goals Zimbabwe scored, Billiat and Musona finished as the Group L joint top goal scorers with three goals apiece. Malajila had two goals while Nhamoinesu and Rusike had one goal each.
Comparing to their three Group B opponents, Zimbabwe were the worst team from the qualifiers. Senegal picked up an impressive 18 points collected from six out of six victories which saw the West Africans score 13 goals and concede just two.
Algeria were the second best team from the qualifiers with 16 points with five wins out of the six matches they played. The Dessert Foxes scored a massive 25 goals and let in five to finish the qualifiers with a goal difference of 20. Tunisia won four of their six qualifying fixtures with one draw and a defeat. They fired 16 goals past their opponents while their defence was breached three times for a goal difference of 13.
Zimbabwe start off their campaign this evening against Algeria at Stade de Franceville before they clash with Senegal on Thursday. The last group assignment for the Warriors is on 23 January when they go up against Tunisia at Stade de l’Amitie in the Gabonese capital city of Libreville which is also the venue for the Afcon final on 5 February.
— @Mdawini_29
