By Staff Reporter
ZIMBABWE suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat to DRC on Sunday which blew away their prospects of reaching the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time.
Speaking on the Sunday’s result, Chidzambwa admitted that the technical team needs to adopt a different approach on selecting the players next time.
“If you look at our game, we were very slow. So there was that element and we were chasing the game and couldn’t come back.
“I take the blame and maybe in the near future we need a different approach. The players we picked must deliver, so we take the blame,” Chidzambwa said.
Asked about his future with the national football team, Chidzambwa said while the final decision rests with Zifa he would want to help the Warriors qualify for the 2022 World Cup.
“Coaches come and go. If they (Zifa) decide to hire another coach then I am ready to leave but I would have wanted to go to the World Cup,” said the former Dynamos defender.
Chidzambwa said the Warriors camp had been rocked by the spat of injuries suffered in the run-up to the game including first choice goalkeeper George Chigova who pulled his hamstring during warm-up.
“We were shocked, the players and the technical team. We could not understand what was happening. It affected all of us,” said the Warriors gaffer.
Defenders Alec Mudimu and Devine Lunga as well as midfield dynamo Marvelous Nakamba were some of the key players who sat out the final Group A match against the Congolese due to freak injuries. The first two having been injured in training ahead of the match.
The Warriors lost most of their key players due to injuries and they had no reserve keeper on the line-up for the final group game as both George Chigova and Edmore Sibanda were carrying knocks.
Marshall Munetsi who usually takes a defensive role was employed as a cover-up attacking player.
Lawrence Mhlanga took up a place in the central defence in the absence of injured Mudimu but his combination with Teenage Hadebe was horrible as it left several leaking holes at the back.
Stand-in goalminder Elvis Chipezeze had a horror show, gifting the DRC three of their four goals. He has since apologised to the nation for the embarrassing display.
