Zimbabwe can be confident of last-16 spot
● Zimbabwe have just a point from two games, but actually can be quite confident of progressing to the last 16 at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Democratic Republic of Congo have been unimpressive, losing against Uganda 2-0, then improving to some extent in going down by the same margin to Egypt at the cauldron of Cairo International Stadium on Wednesday night.
Beat DRC tonight at Cairo’s 30 June Stadium and Zimbabwe will have four points and they will be highly likely to progress to the last 16.
In the expanded 24-team Nations Cup, the top two teams and four best third-placed finishers from six groups progress.
That means it will not really be possible to say who has definitely qualified until the final group stage match has been completed and the calculations made. But four points seems almost certain to be enough.
For now, only teams with two group victories can be certain of qualification. So hosts Egypt, beating DRC, and before that Zimbabwe 1-0, are through before meeting Uganda, who have four points, at Cairo International tonight (also 9pm).
Zimbabwe — with a number of Premier Soccer League-based players, and for whom Kaizer Chiefs playmaker Khama Billiat has set tongues wagging in Egypt — held their own against the hosts in a 1-0 loss in the tournament's opening game, just hours after a pay dispute was resolved. They missed chances of dominating Uganda in Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw.
If they can be more clinical in front of goal, said the former Chiefs hitman, the “Smiling Assassin” Knowledge Musona, they should beat DRC and go through.
“I’m happy that we played a very good game and we created the chances that we did not in the first game,” said Musona after the Warriors put together some skilful football and an attractive passing game against Uganda.
“We need to take this into the next game, and try to improve on it. The last game is a do or die. We don’t need to make mistakes anymore — there's no room for that.
“We have to get three points so we can have four points, which I think is enough to take us through to the next round.”
Musona was one of the main culprits missing chances, but his introduction added penetration to a classy Zimbabwe frontline in which AmaZulu's Ovidy Karuru, another ex-Chiefs man, has also looked the part.
Musona is unhappy at his Belgian club Anderlecht, who loaned him to Lokeren, where he has lacked game time with just six appearances and a lone goal.
He does not believe his poor club fortunes have affected his form at the Nations Cup.
“That story from the club, it’s nothing to do with the country. I feel happy when I’m here [with the national team], because I’m given the time to play,” the striker said.
“So I really appreciate the love from Zimbabwe and the coach [Sunday Chidzambwa]. I’ll forget about that, at the club, because it’s the past now. I’m looking to the future.”
Egypt have qualified, and Uganda effectively have, but the match between the wellorganised Cranes — with Mamelodi Sundowns’ Denis Onyango in goal, and on a roll — and hosts should be an absorbing one.