HARARE - The successful progression of four Southern African region teams into the group stages of 2015 African Nations Cup qualifiers – three of those teams relatively lightweights of the game on the continent – has put the sorry state of our game back into the spotlight again. Zimbabwe plunged to their lowest ebb in March after the Warriors were knocked out of the 2015 Afcon qualifiers by Tanzania at the first hurdle. Cosafa region countries Lesotho, Malawi, and Botswana, sides we used to beat without breaking much of a sweat in years gone by, moved into the later stages after posting impressive results over the weekend. Malawi beat Benin 4-3 on penalties in Blantyre after drawing one all on aggregate while little Lesotho – a small mountainous Kingdom enclosed right around its boarders by South Africa – upset the fancied Kenyans 1-0 on aggregate. So ridiculed by their own fans that the Lesotho team’s nickname, Likuena (crocodiles), has been transferred in local street lingo to refer to women of loose morals, because, according to one Maseru-based journalist – their team is an easy prey for anybody. The Zebras of Botswana, not to be outdone, beat Guinea Bissau 3-1 on aggregate to also progress. Mozambique, though not historically on the same lowly level as the other three teams but themselves not a formidable team by continental standards – are also through. Now, when Zifa sit down to analysis how low we have plummeted as a footballing nation, those are some of the things that must alarm the folks at 53 Livingstone Avenue – and used as case in point. If such a grim development, such a saddening reality of our new pitiful position, doesn’t call for appropriate measures from those at the helm – then we must prepare ourselves to sink further down, down into obscurity.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 10:28:31 +0000
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