Mapeza's brave Warriors beat Malawi

Mapeza's brave Warriors beat Malawi

PRAISE: Mapeza praised his Warriors heroes

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By Nkanyiso Moyo

LONG after the final whistle had gone at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday, a whole nation was deep in conversation, triggered by the heroics of Norman Mapeza’s team of local players – 3-1 winners over visiting Malawi.

Forget that this was only a fulfilment of what was essentially a pointless fixture -- Zimbabwe already out of contention to qualify for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

Against the Flames of Malawi, teeming with professional players based in foreign leagues, 11 super patriots stood tall to restore a nation’s battered pride and in doing so, recorded Zimbabwe’s first and last win of the Group 12 qualifiers.

It is a measure of the depressing depths plunged by the Warriors that despite this most heroic victory, Zimbabwe still finished at the bottom of the log with five points from four matches, Morocco having stolen the march in the three-team Group 12.

Leading to Sunday’s match, in which Mapeza was a stand-in coach following Charles Mhlauri’s sacking, Zimbabwe had lost 1-0 away to Malawi, drew 1-1 with Morocco in Harare before losing 2-0 to the same team in Casablanca.

Mapeza, ushered into the hot seat albeit on a caretaker basis and specifically for this one match, deliberately passed on the opportunity to bring in foreign-based professionals including skipper Benjani Mwaruwari, goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini and midfield kingpin Esrom Nyandoro.

In came the likes of Mtshumayeli Moyo, Washington Pakamisa and Justice Manjabvi – a gamble by any definition.

But gamble Mapeza did, and a stunning result was delivered by the industry and diligence of Moyo and Manjabvi, whose neat build-ups in the goalless opening 20 minutes of this fixture raised Mapeza’s stock as a potential permanent coach for the Warriors.

Yet for all their patience and determined probing, the Warriors were lacking the cutting edge upfront – that is until the 23rd minute.

Ever so alert, Pakamisa thwarted a Malawian move deep in their own half with a brave block, the ball falling invitingly for Kingstone Nkatha who was lurking on the edge of the box. Nkata’s snap shot flew past a diving Swadick Sanudi, who plays for South African club, Dynamos.

Several chances fell invitingly for Zimbabwe after the goal, but they were all wasted. And in a brief spell of Malawian dominance, the visitors could have drawn level nine minutes before the break as Washington Arubi pulled a fine save to deny Fisher Kondowe.

But Arubi turned villain two minutes before the break after hesitating to claim a floated corner kick, and Esau Kanyenda, who plies his trade in Russia, was the beneficiary as he headed in the visitors’ equaliser.

The half-time pep talk worked wonders on the Warriors, and they nailed their feet to the pedal.

Yet for all their neat build ups and forward surges, the Warriors were still susceptible to a quick break by the more experienced Malawians -- one such incident coming on 51 minutes when Malawi controversially had a goal disallowed.

Kanyenda’s header was cleared off the line by skipper Method Mwanjali, and the rebound was scooped off the line by Arubi – although TV replays showed the ball had crossed the line.

The warning signs were there for the Warriors, and the response was swift and measured to meet the threat posed by the Flames.

Richard Mteki, lurking with intent, seized on a defensive error by Malawi just four minutes before the hour and poked the ball into the net to the delight of the home fans.

Mwanjali, the epitome of purposeful resistance all afternoon, had the last and most emphatic contribution to the afternoon’s proceedings on 64 minutes with a rasping 35-meter shot from a half-cleared corner which nestled in Sanudi’s goal.

Mapeza could barely hide his glee, in the knowledge that he had silenced some gathering whispers from his critics who question his credentials.

“We cannot afford to ignore these players anymore,” Mapeza said of his domestic heroes after the game.

“It was a good performance and despite the fact that Malawi had their foreign based players, we did better and three goals are not easy to come by and I would like to thank the players for the effort and the fans for the support,” he said.
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