By Tendai Chisiri
Afcon 2021 is full of surprises and the latest is Zimbabwe being humiliated by Malawi 2-1 on Friday in a Group B match where the former’s defence was complacent.
A relaxed Zimbabwe defence conceded two goals from Malawi’s Orlando Pirates striker Gabadinho Mango in the same way complacent Algeria in Group drew 0-0 with Sierra Leone and relaxed Tunisia in Group F were beaten 1-0 by Mali. This shows that the term underdogs in modern football doesn’t mean a walkover.
Malawi were the ones with the underdog tag but managed to burn the Warriors Zimbabwe 2-1 like their nickname Flames in a scintillating match played at Sade Omnisport de Bafoussan Stadium in Cameroon.
Zimbabwe are down and out after failing to secure a point in the two games of the 3 games played in the group stages. Their next game is on Tuesday against Guinea who won against Malawi and drew with Senegal.
Mhango’s brace sank the Warriors out of the tournament in a game Zimbabwe had a high ball possession but failed to convert goals and became the first team to be eliminated.
In the opening minutes, looked composed with confidence as they attacked interchangeably at each other’s goal posts. Zimbabwe had neat passes at the right hand side and left hand side although finishing was a nightmare.
With Zimbabwe ‘s Gerald Takwara failing to utilize a cross from the right hand side , Ishmael Wadi having a poor header near the goal posts the strike force was wasteful
Zimbabwe’s Kundai Benyu played brilliantly with passing all the balls he got .Zimbabwe had a lion’s share of ball possession in the first half but were not all that aggressive to get a goal.
Ishmael Wadi JDR Stars forward in South Africa was the chief culprit upfront as he failed to covert another header.
However in the 30th minute, he made a magnificent header from a cross by Onesimor Bhasera on the left hand side to break the deadlock. Zimbabwe lead 1-0.
Malawi then equalised in the 4th minute with a goal from Mhango. Fransico Madingo assited with a cross from the right hand side which Mhango pressed in the net just inside the sixteen yard box.The teams went to half time 1 all.
In the second half a relaxed Zimbabwe defence conceded a second goal as Mhango hammered a brace in the 58th minute. Teenage Hadebe played a blunder and Mhango punished the Warriors for being reckless as he outwitted Mhari the goalkeeper.
Zimbabwe really looked not coming back and the introduction of Jordan Zemura and Kudakwashe Mahachi for Bruce Kangwa and injured Ishmael Wadi respectively brought liveness in the Zimbabwe attack.
They changed the face of the game as they attacked vigorously but the Malawi defence was rock solid.
The match ended 2-1 in favor of the Flames with the complacency in the Zimbabwe nation team being costly.
The top two teams in each of the six groups , plus the four best third-placed finishers, advance to the round of 16
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