Umdlalo wokuqala kuGroup B uphelile. Lo mdlalo ubukwizinga eliphezulu kakhulu ubuphakathi kweZimbabwe ne-Algeria uphele ebambene ngo’2-2 la mazwe eStade de Franceville, ngokuhlwa namhlanje. Amagowuli amabini asindise i-Algeria emlonyeni wengonyama afakwe nguRoyad mahrez – omnye wabadlali abadlale umdlalo ongcono kwi-Algeria.
Igqejwe iduma elingophiyo iZimbabwe ngethuba kukhutshwa uKnowledge Musona emdlalweni imizuzu iselishumi elinanye kuphela uqalile, indawo yakhe ithathwe nguMatthew Rusike osebenze kakuhle noNyasha Mushweki kwisigaba sokuqala. Ilizwe eliqale langcangcazelisa umnatha yi-Algeria – kodwa uKude Mahachi uphendule kwaze kwalandelisa uMushweki emva kwebhola ebibekwe echaphazeni.
IZimbabwe iye kule tumente inganikwa nelincinci ithuba lokuphumelela umdlalo – kodwa indlela eqhube ngayo ibanike ithemba abalandeli bayo njengokuba iyiyo emele izwekazi le Afrika emazantsi.
UWillard Katsande usebenze nzima kakhulu esazulwini sebela kulo mdlalo, phambili iZimbabwe ibityhala ngoKhama Billiat noMushweki bencediswa nguRusike. Bayinike amandla iZimbabwe wokuyicishilela i-Algeria, kangangokuba ibenentlahla oko ingabethwanga. Kwisiqingatha sokuqala khange ibenomdlalo omhle nangona bekulindeleke iyongamele iZimbabwe ngenxa yabadlali enabo namava enawo kwimidlalo yetumente ye-Afrika. Izinto ziye zatshintsha kakhulu kwisigaba sesibini ngoba ibuye [Algeria] inamandla futhi kucaca ukuba iyifundile indlela edlale ngayo iZimbabwe kwisigaba sokuqala. Bachithe ixesha elininzi bedlalela emva abadlali beZimbabwe – bayeke into abayenze kakuhle kwisiqingatha sokuqala. Bebeyisukela i-Algeria, lo nto ayayinika ithuba lokudlala kakuhle ibhola. Kuthe xa kubuywa kwixesha lokuphumla, abadlali beZimbabwe bahlala emva – kodwa nakubeni kunjalo, babonisile ukuba baye eGabon ukuyolwela ilizwe labo.
Kumdlalo wesibini kaGroup A izolo, iCameroon ibambene ngo’1-1 neBurkina Faso efumene igowuli lokulinganisa ngomzuzu wokugqibela. Lo nto ithetha ukuthi onke kuGroup A ayalingana ngoba nayo iGabon neGuinea-Bissau zidlale ngokulingana (1-1).
Liyoyikisa izinga lokunyamalala kwamadoda eGqeberha!