Zimbawe miss out on 2010 World Cup, Africa Cup of Nations finals

Zimbawe miss out on 2010 World Cup, Africa Cup of Nations finals

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• Warriors boycott training over pay

• 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

• Valinhos spells end of Ndlovu's international career

• Brazilian Valinhos is new Zimbabwe coach

By Nkanyiso Moyo

ZIMBABWE crashed out of the race for a place in the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup finals after losing 4-2 in their decisive last Group 12 match away to Namibia on Saturday.

The defeat left Jose Valinhos' men lying third in Group 12 and out of contention for consideration as one of eight best runners-up who join the 12 group winners into the third round of the qualification process.

Group 12 leaders Kenya were not playing until Sunday when they visit Conakry for a deciding clash with Guinea

Winners of that clash go through as group winners, with the losing team joining the other 11 group runners-up who will be put on a table based on games won, goal difference and goals scored against the first and third team in their group.

The top eight teams go through to the next round where 20 teams in total will be pooled into five groups. The top three teams in those groups qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations finals to be held in Angola, while the group winners go through to the World Cup finals in South Africa.

Namibia raced to a three-goal half time lead against the Zimbabweans who were missing injured skipper Benjani Mwaruwari in Windhoek, although the Warriors rallied late on but to no avail.

Double scorer Wilko Risser thrust the home team in the lead on 20 minutes before further strikes by Rudolf Bester (32nd) and Paulus Shipanga (44th) killed the match as a contest.

When Risser scored his second four minutes after half-time, the writing was on the wall for Zimbabwe who have flattered to deceive in a campaign marked by player revolts, poor organisation and injuries to key players.

Midfielder Esrom Nyandoro reduced the arrears with a goal on 51 minutes before Highlanders hitman Cuthbert Malajila, a second half substitute for Joel Luphahla, struck Zimbabwe's second with seven minutes on the clock.

In the end, the deficit was too big for Zimbabwe who now have a decision to make over the future of Brazilian coach Jose Valinhos.

TEAMS:

Namibia: Athiel MBAHA (GK), Ivan NAMASEB, Hartman TOROMBA, Richard GARISEB, Collin BENJAMIN (C), Wilko RISSER (Jerome LOUISE 80th), Paulus SHIPANGA, Sydney PLAATJIES (Lazarus KAIMBI 50th), Rudolf BESTER (Jamunovandu NGATJIZEKO 65th) , Quinton JACOBS, George HUMMEL

Subs Not Used: Victor HELU, Rudi LOUW, Steven GOAGAB, Abisai SHININGAYAMWE

Zimbabwe: Tapuwa KAPINI (GK), Esrom NYANDORO, David KATYAURIPO, Zvenyika MAKONESE, Joel LUPAHLA (Cuthbert MALAJILA 65th), Tinashe NENGOMASHA, Quincy ANTIPAS (Clemence MATAWU 46th), Gilbert MUSHANGAZHIKE, Onismo BHASERA, James MATOLA, ride CESIRENYITE (Ovidy KARURU 65th)

Subs Not Used: Peter MOYO, Zhaimu JAMBO, Energy MURAMBADORO, Method MWANJALE

Coaches:

Namibia: SAINTFIET Tom (BELGIUM)

Zimbabwe: VALINHOS (BRAZIL)

Zimbabwe’s Group 12 Results:

01/06/08 17:00 Guinea 0:0 Zimbabwe
08/06/08 15:00 Zimbabwe 2:0 Namibia
14/06/08 16:00 Kenya 2:0 Zimbabwe
22/06/08 15:00 Zimbabwe 0:0 Kenya
07/09/08 15:00 Zimbabwe 0:0 Guinea
11/10/08 16:00 Namibia 4:2 Zimbabwe

Group 2 Log (11/10/2008)

	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	6	1	3	2	4	6	6
4	Namibia	6	2	0	4	7	12	6

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