Zimbabwe national men’s soccer team, the Warriors lost to Ethiopia by a 1-0 goal margin in a World Cup qualifying match played in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, writes Alex Ndlovu
Despite Government’s efforts to motivate the team by offering monetary incentives of up to US$64,000 as winning bonus, poor Warriors were outclassed by Africa’s perceived football minnows.
Recently, under pressure ZIFA had to rope in former Warriors Captain Benjani Mwaruwari as one of three Assistant coaches to broaden the experience base in the team’s coaching department.
All the efforts have been fruitless as the Warriors strike force fired blanks in two consecutive games.
A late penalty awarded to the hosts in the 90th minute drew the last drop of blood from the hapless Warriors team that seemed out of depth.
The Warriors now anchor the group with a single point .
South Africa tops the group with four points after beating Ghana, while Ghana and Ethiopia share three points each.
Under fire Coach Zdravko Logarusic, in a dismal acquittal of himself as Warriors Coach, has managed to win only two games in 14 matches!
Deputy Minister of Sport Tinoda Machakaire could not hide his disappointment and disapproval of the Warriors’ performance despite the government’s dangling of a US$64,000 carrot.
Speaking on local radio Minister Machakaire said,
“We are equally disappointed that the team did not perform to our expectations. We were hoping that they would be motivated by the promise of a winning bonus which we had sourced from our sponsors. But now we are stuck with the money”.
Asked what government will do with the money, Honourable Machakaire opted to throw the question to the people who immediately flocked to the mailbox with the majority saying that the money should be withheld for the next game.
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