By Milton Mashasha Sports Reporter in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
Bulawayo (News of The South) – The Zimbabwean senior men national team, the Warriors suffered a major setback in their campaign for 2021 Afcon qualifiers for the finals in Cameroon after a 3-1 thumping by the host, the Reigning African Champions Algeria at the 5 July 1962 Stadium in Algiers, Algeria on Thursday night.
The Desert Foxes of Algeria got their important goals from Bagdad Bounedjah, Sofiane Feghouli who both scored in the first half and the second half killer punch from their star player, England based Manchester City forward Riyad Mahrez, striking from a solo individual performance beating a cluster of defenders before driving that final nail to the coffin. The Warriors got their consolation from the inform France based Lyon striker Tino Kadewere 15minutes before full time and they were already trailing 3-0 at the time.
The Algerians maintained their pole position in group H mini league knock out stage with nine points, Zimbabwe second with four, Zambia who got their first sets of points after beating Botswana 2-1 in Lusaka, Zambia are on three points whereas the bottom placed the Zebras, Botswana are yet to record any point.
The Warriors need to be at their best to tame the Algerians on Monday when they host the Desert Foxes at the Giant National Sports Stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The Warriors coach, Zdravko Logarusic must be strategic enough in order to overturn the results to his favor, neutralizing the now termed “A magician” Djamel Belmaadi (tactics) the Algerian coach who has gone for 21 matches without testing defeat since their loss against Benin in October 2018, from that number they have won 16 and drawn five this far.
The Warriors created a lot of glorious chances in front of goal but their clinical finish let them down.
Now, it’s a mountain to climb for Zdravko Logarusic and his technical staff to plot for the down fall of the Algerians on home soil who seem not to be easy mere push overs.
There were lapses of concentration here and there amongst individual players, the goal keeper Elvis Chipezeze, the defense and the midfield who gave or allowed to concede those silly goals of which they should have been avoided at all cost.
It is yet to be seen whether Zdravko Logarusic will drop some of the player who made it to the final squad that travelled to Algeria last week or he will recall some players to balance the squad in preparation for the return leg on Monday the 16th of November 2020.
The Warriors are still in that big picture to qualify, the ball is in their hands, they need to stand their ground and turn the tables against the Desert Foxes in order to consolidate their chances of qualification for the big African soccer Fiesta otherwise any slip will make life difficult for Zdravko’s men in the remaining games with the fact that Zambia are now a point behind them (Warriors) with Botswana also still in that metrics too for qualification.
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