Warriors bow out despite promising run

By Goodwill Zunidza

Zimbabwe…,…..(0) 0
Kenya . . . . . . . (0) 2

Zimbabwe failed to get the Kenya monkey off their back and stumbled to an improbable defeat at the hands of their opponents who have dominated 95% of meetings between the two teams since 1980.

Jairos Tapera’s Warriors’ had a great opportunity to turn the tables but could not transform their superior ball possession into goals and were punished by a Kenyan side coached by Kennedy Onyango that came back from the break a changed side.

Two goals in the 55th and 75th minutes completed the damage for the East Africans and saw them through to the semi-final in a competition they only came in by invitation.

Mystery surrounds the non-inclusion of top marksman Michael Tapera from Zimbabwe’s starting line-up.

Earlier reports suggested he was suspended which vwas disproved when he was introduced as a second-half substitute for Denzel Mapuwa.

Tapera only had one significant move in the 68th minute when he sliced a low inch-perfect cross into the box from his right channel but Mckinnon Mushore missed the connection with a yawning goal in front of him.

Information gleaned by the paper has it that Tapera’s suspension would take effect in the next match, which left him eligible to start today’s encounter.

Also surprising how Zimbabwe, the only team with a 100% percent record going into the last group matches, snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when they rightly fancied their chances of reaching the knockout round.

The absence of the coaches’ favoured frontline of Tapera and Tinotenda Meke on either flank completely sucked the attacking flair out of the Warriors as Mapuwa and Panashe Mutimbanyoka, thrust in their stead, could not reproduce the spark on the wings.

All told, there would be no need to disband the current Warriors squad which has clearly been the first distinct team to emerge since the two-year Fifa ban that pulverised Zimbabwe football.

Even after the Harambee Stars took the lead, Zimbabwe never panicked and remained resolute in defence which is an essential mark of a team sizing up to the rigours of international football.

Ominously, the Warriors’ Cosafa elimination coincides with the end of the Zifa Normalization Committee’s disastrous tenure and the nation is geared for a fresh start.