Zimbabwe have ‘nothing to fear’ against Senegal
FORMER Zimbabwe and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Esrom Nyandoro is adamant his countrymen still have enough in the tank to force their way out of the Group of Death after letting Algeria off the hook in their opening African Nations Cup match.
The Warriors were just eight minutes away from claiming a 2-1 victory over Algeria in Gabon on Sunday before Leicester City forward and Caf’s Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez scored his second goal of the night to earn a point for the North Africans in a pulsating 2-2 draw.
Zimbabwe now face the highest-ranked African team in Fifa’s world rankings‚ 33rdranked Senegal‚ in their next assignment on Thursday.
But Nyandoro said southern Africa’s lone representatives in Gabon had nothing to fear.
“If they can perform for a full 90 minutes the way they did in the first half against Algeria‚ they can beat Senegal.”
Senegal beat Tunisia 2-0 in their opening match and will have taken note of the threat posed by the likes of Khama Billiat‚ who was unlucky not to score a goal on Sunday.
Zimbabwe’s last appearance on the continent’s grandest football stage was in 2006 in Angola and many of those who gazed into their crystal balls before the start of the showpiece would have predicted an early exit for the Warriors after they were drawn in a group that includes heavyweights Senegal‚ Algeria and Tunisia.
But such was their performance‚ especially in the first half‚ against the tricky Algerians that few will argue against Nyandoro’s assertion that captain Willard Katsande’s players will emerge from Group B.
Nyandoro said Zimbabwe would look back on the result as a missed opportunity after allowing the Algerians back into the game.
Mahrez had given Algeria the lead early in the game but a Kudakwashe Mahachi equaliser and a converted penalty by Nyasha Mushekwi gave the Warriors an unexpected lead in the first half.
Mahrez would return later in the game to deny the Southern Africans what would have been a famous victory.
“I am a little bit disappointed about the performance in the second half and I consider it as two points dropped. We could have won that game,” Nyandoro said.
Zimbabwe’s performance will have taken many by surprise as their preparations were rocked by a player strike over unpaid wages and bonuses that threatened to disrupt the team even before they had kicked the first ball in Gabon.
All eyes‚ especially in South Africa‚ are now on their assignment against the equally tricky Senegalese on Thursday.