Zimbabwe fight-back secures draw in Harare

Zimbabwe fight-back secures draw in Harare

ZIMBABWE'S National Sports Stadium which was filled to the brim with Zimbabwean fans rooting for their country

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By Sports Correspondent

ZIMBABWE put up a gallant second-half fight against Algeria as they fought their way back to draw 1-1infront of a capacity crowd at the National Sports Stadium in Harare on Sunday.

The 1-1 draw means the Warriors are yet to lose a match under caretaker coach Rahman Gumbo in their Group Four after a 1-1 away away draw to Gabon a fortnight ago.

Playing without their first choice keeper Enegery Murambadoro who is out with injury, the Warriors were always likely to concede.

But when the goal came, it was nothing to do with Tapuwa Kapini's capabilities as a goalkeeper but largely due to the brilliance of Zimbabwe's opponents.

Abdelmalek Cherrad was at the end of a brilliant through-ball from Hacine Achiou, meeting it beautifully to put it beyond Tapuwa Kapini.

With Peter Ndlovu a pale shadow of himself, Zimbabwe's attack was led mainly from the back with defender Dickson Choto coming close with a header three minutes from the breather.

Another defender Bekithemba Ndlovu came close to stealing it for Zimbabwe with a shot midway through the second half as Zimbabwe took the fight to the Algerians - their first World Cup opponents exactly 15 years ago.

Angola beat Nigeria 1-0 in the other fixture in Luanda.

GROUP 4 LOG STANDINGS AFTER SUNDAY'S MATCHES

	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	PTS
Angola	2	1	1	0	1	0	4
Rwanda	2	1	0	1	3	3	3
Nigeria	2	1	1	1	2	3	3
Zimbabwe	2	0	2	0	2	2	2
Algeria	2	0	2	0	1	1	2
Gabon	2	0	1	1	2	4	1

Results & Remaining Fixtures

2004
June 5: Nigeria 2-0 Rwanda; Gabon 1-1 Zimbabwe; Algeria 0-0 Angola

June 19: Rwanda 3-1 Gabon

June 20: Zimbabwe 1-1 Algeria; Angola 1-0 Nigeria

July 3: Nigeria v Algeria; Gabon v Angola; Rwanda v Zimbabwe

September 3: Algeria v Gabon
September 5: Zimbabwe v Nigeria; Angola v Rwanda

October 9: Gabon v Nigeria
October 10: Rwanda v Algeria; Angola v Zimbabwe

2005

March 25: Algeria v Rwanda
March 26: Nigeria v Gabon
March 27: Zimbabwe v Angola

June 5: Zimbabwe v Gabon; Angola v Algeria; Rwanda v Nigeria

June 17: Algeria v Zimbabwe
June 18: Nigeria v Angola; Gabon v Rwanda

September 2: Algeria v Nigeria
September 4: Zimbabwe v Rwanda; Angola v Gabon

October 8: Nigeria v Zimbabwe; Gabon v Algeria
October 9: Rwanda v Angola
Team news will follow shortly....
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