Zimbabwe up against it after draw with Guinea

Zimbabwe up against it after draw with Guinea

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• Commentator casts doubt over Valinhos' CV

• Zambia knock Zimbabwe out of Cosafa Cup

• Farayi Mungazi: Reinhard Fabisch's extraordinary football life

• Former Zimbabwe coach Fabisch dies

• Zimbabwe in trouble after draw with Kenya

• Kenya go top after win over Zimbabwe

• Mushangazhike double sends Warriors through

• Nation warms up to Valinhos

• Draw sets Warriors as Group Three favourites

• Woeful Warriors draw with Namibia

• Malajila gives Zimbabwe victory in Botswana

• Matola own goal hands South Africa victory

• Valinhos spells end of Ndlovu's international career

• Brazilian Valinhos is new Zimbabwe coach

By Nkanyiso Moyo

ZIMBABWE’S fate in the race for a place at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola and the World Cup in South Africa is now out of their hands after they were held to a 0-0 home draw by Guinea on Sunday.

The draw, Zimbabwe's third in five Group 2 matches, leaves them third on the table and four points adrift of leaders Kenya with just one more match to play against Namibia.

Kenya beat Namibia 1-0 in Nairobi on Sunday.

Winners of the 12 African groups qualify for the next stage of qualification and will be joined by the eight best runners-up.

Zimbabwe can still qualify as one of the eight best runners-up, but they need to comprehensively beat Namibia in their last game and hope that Kenya beat or draw with Guinea.

Goals have been elusive for Zimbabwe and they had the worst possible build-up to Sunday's match after players boycotted training on Wednesday in a row over unpaid allowances.

With skipper and Manchester City striker Benjani Mwaruwari out with injury, Zimbabwe once again failed to find the target against Guinea. The two goals they have scored so far came in the 2-0 home win over Namibia.

The Warriors had a promising start to the campaign, drawing 0-0 away to fancied Guinea before beating Namibia. They suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Kenya and drew the reverse fixture 0-0 in Harare.

Despite creating numerous chances, the wasteful Warriors failed to beat the well-marshaled Guinean defence which thwarted their every attack.

Zimbabwe had a goal disallowed in the 22nd minute after South African-based striker Gilbert Mushangazhike was adjudged to be offside.

Guinea had midfielder Amara Bangoura sent off after 72 minutes but managed to contain the charging Warriors.

WARRIORS LINE-UP:

* 1 Tapuwa KAPINI (GK)
* 3 Esrom NYANDORO
* 4 David KATYAURIPO
* 6 Zvenyika MAKONESE (C)
* 7 Joel LUPHAHLA Out (Ovidy KARURU 71')
* 8 Tinashe NENGOMASHA Out (Clemence MATAWU 58')
* 11 Gilbert MUSHANGAZHIKE Out (Cuthbert MALAJILA 69')
* 12 Edward SADOMBA
* 14 Onismo BHASERA
* 15 James MATOLA
* 18 Joseph NGWENYA

SUBS NOT USED:

* 5 Peter MOYO
* 10 Quincy ANTIPAS
* 16 Energy MURAMBADORO
* 17 Noel TAFADZWA KASEKE

2010 World Cup/African Cup of Nations Qualifiers:
Group 2 Results:

Zimbabwe 0-0 Guinea
Namibia 0-1 Kenya

Zimbabwe’s Remaining Fixtures:

17-19 October Namibia vs Zimbabwe

South Africa qualify for the World Cup finals as hosts. The 12 group winners and the eight best runners-up will contest the next stage in the qualification process.

Group 2 Log:

	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1	Kenya	5	3	1	1	6	2	10
2	Guinea	5	2	2	1	6	3	8
3	Zimbabwe	5	1	3	1	2	2	6
4	Namibia	5	1	0	4	3	10	3

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