By Rainos Mukanya
Profligacy which had plagued the Warriors in their first two matches came back to haunt them as they were edged 5-4 on penalties by Libya in a Chan semi-final match played at the Free State stadium, in Bloemfontein South Africa on Wednesday.
Goalkeeper Mohammed Abdaula converted the final spot kick, in a penalty shoot-out that no one looked like they wanted to win to take Libya through to the final.
The first two spot kicks were converted by Danny Phiri and Eric, but thereafter Simba Sithole, Peter Moyo, Milton Ncube and Ali Sadiki failed to take advantage of two saves by keeper George Chigova. Yet this match should never have gone to penalties.
The Warriors had started the match on a positive note, attacking from the onset with the Mediterranean Nights of Libya contend on sitting back and soaking it up.
Danny Phiri’s third minute free kick was spilled by Abdaula, but found no takers. Three minutes later Phiri’s volley from the edge of the box missed the target by a whisker. Abdaula was again called to make a save from an Ali Sadiki long range effort.
The tone was now set for a night of near misses and erratic shooting. Libya were putting up a brilliant show defensively making it increasingly difficult for the Warriors to find space. In an attempt to heighten the threat on the Libyan goal, Ian Gorowa brought on Donald Ngoma and Simbarashe Sithole for Masimba Mambare and Simba Sithole respectively. Yet it was Sadiki who almost found the goal with his goalbound header being cleared by the Libyan defenders.
In the 78th minute Sithole had the ball in the back of the Libyan net for what would have been Zimbabwe’s opening goal only to be ruled out for an off side. With extra time beckoning, the Warriors’ attempts at goal were becoming wild and uncontrolled.
Kuda Mahachi shot way over in the 83rd minute. Zimbabwe tried to very hard to find the opener in extra time, but Libya, now playing for penalties were unyielding. Both Sithole and Mahachi took turns to miss glaring chances.
By the stroke of full time the Warriors were playing with two defenders and nine strikers, but still they couldn’t breach the Libyan rearguard. And so it came to the dreaded penalty shoot-out. The Warriors now play Nigeria in a third and fourth playoff match.
The Super Eagles lost 4-2 on penalties to the Black Stars of Ghana after the match had ended goalless.
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