Warriors go down fighting in Egypt

By Robson Sharuko in CAIRO, Egypt

Goalkeeper Eddie Sibanda produced a string of good saves, but the Warriors conceded a poor goal to start their 2019 AFCON finals campaign on a losing note before a packed Cairo International Stadium last night.

The big goalie, playing because George Chigova was suspended, had an inspired show. Sadly, his night ended prematurely late in the game when he was pulled out because of injury.

On a night when left-back Devine Lunga also came of age with a brave and good performance against one of the worlds best players, Mohamed Salah, the Warriors should be disappointed they couldn’t get even a point from this game.

The goal that made the difference was one they could have avoided while later, in the second-half they played with authority, substitute Evans Rusike had a fine chance but could not direct his header home.

Khama Billiat, who passed a late fitness test after a week in which he was troubled by injury, then shot wide from a very tight area and in time added on, it was the hosts who were on the ropes pleading for the match to end.

To his credit, Billiat was the liveliest Warrior upfront.

Given all the turmoil in their camp on the eve of the match, this was a commendable show by the Warriors who, for most of the second-half, had silenced the capacity 80 000 crowd inside the stadium.

It’s hard to say if the Egyptians had an off day or the Warriors did the basics right, save for a lack of penetration upfront, and if they can play as well as they did in the second-half, they have a reason to believe they can still make it out of the group.

Substitute goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze also pulled out a fine save from Salah towards the end.

The Warriors edged the second-half and had silenced the packed stadium but now and again didn’t have the final through ball to create clear-cut chances with Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy largely untroubled.

Coach Sunday Chidzambwa brought in Rusike and Talent Chawapiwa for Nyasha Mushekwi, who was holding his hamstring as he walked out, and skipper Knowledge Musona.

“It was a game of two halves, we didn’t play well in the first half,” said Chidzambwa. But the big positives for the Warriors were the fine performance by Sibanda, made four good saves, including two outstanding ones, and a vintage show by Lunga. The Herald