Warriors supershow paints beautiful picture of Zim
◆ lost their main attacking threat, Knowledge Musona, to an early injury, and ought to have been rattled, appearing on this stage for the first time since 2006.
“But, instead, the underdogs produced a scintillating 20 minutes of attacking football to turn the game on its head. It was a harsh ending to a game that Zimbabwe should have wrapped up but that they were even slightly disappointed demonstrates how far above expectations the Warriors have already risen.”
Aaron Flanagan, writing for the tabloid Daily Mirror, said Mahrez “saved Algeria’s blushes,” after the Desert Foxes “were left stunned by a spectacular first-half display from Zimbabwe.”
George Boulton, writing for Britain’s biggest selling newspaper, The Sun, said Mahrez’s brace saved his “nation from an embarrassing result,” while his colleague, Richard Forrester, writing in the same paper, singled out Billiat as the main player for the Warriors and described coach Callisto Pasuwa as “highly regarded amongst the players and staff at the team.”
The BBC said ‘keeper Tatenda Mukuruva “should have saved” Mahrez’s effort for the equaliser and noted that “while Mukuruva may feel embarrassed at his error, Algeria just about managed to save their own blushes as they rescued a point from their Group B opener — a match they were very much expected to win.
“Zimbabwe, making their first appearance at the finals since 2006, will perhaps count themselves a little bit unlucky after playing some excellent football.
“Khama Billiat was superb for the Warriors (who) will take heart from their performance. Billiat was on top form and will cause any defence problems.”
Paul Gittings, writing on the CNN website, noted the underdogs were flexing their muscles in Gabon.
“Two days in and the Africa Cup of Nations is rapidly becoming the tournament for the underdog. Few gave Zimbabwe much hope of even avoiding defeat to one of the favourites Algeria, but the Warriors came within eight minutes of an upset victory in the Group B opener in Franceville,” he wrote.
“But the warning signs were already there for Algeria, with Khama Billiat having rattled its woodwork with a stunning volley from outside the penalty area.
“The brilliant Billiat might have made it three after tricking his way through the Algeria defence early in the second half, but M’Bohli made the best of a series of superb saves.
“It was certainly entertaining fare.”
Nadeem Badshah, writing for Eurosport, said “the Warriors, ranked 103 in the world, dominated the rest of the half (after Mahrez opener),” and said the talking point was whether the Zimbabweans got their tactics wrong in the second half.
“Callisto Pasuwa’s side were brilliant in the first period with their swift counter attacking and high tempo game. But they switched to a defensive style after the break to try and hold onto their lead which, ultimately, cost them a shock victory,” noted Badshah, who gave the man-of-the-match award to ‘keeper M’Bolhi for keeping “his side in the game with a string of world class saves.
“He denied the brilliant Billiat in both halves with three wonderful stops, including clawing the ball around the post to keep out a goalbound effort.”