Emva kwalo mdlalo, iSenegal, ibe lilizwe lokuqala kwi-Afcon yalo nyaka elidlulele kumjikelo olandelayo – kodwa yona iZimbabwe kufuneka isebenze ngokuphindeneyo ukuze iye phambili. Umfutho ofunyenwe yiZimbabwe kumdlalo wayo wokuqala kwi-2017 Afcon ngethuba idlala ne-Algeria unike abantu abaninzi ithemba – kodwa lo ntlantsi yethemba iphelele emoyeni namhlanje emva kokubethwa kwayo yiSenegal ngo’2-0 kumdlalo obubanjelwe eStade de Franceville.
Into evele yacaca zisuka kulo mdlalo kukuba iSenegal ize iyifundile indlela edlalangayo iZimbabwe futhi iyazi into eyifunayo. Kwimizuzu elishumi elinantathu yokuqala, iSenegal, ibiseyihamba phambili ngamagowuli amabini. Lo nto iyiphazamise kakhulu iZimbabwe ngoba khange ikwazi ukudlala umdlalo wayo wesiqhelo.
Umqeqeshi weZimbabwe uhlasele ngoNyasha Mushweki, uRusike noBilliat. Bonke abobadlali abakwazanga ukugqobhoza kubadlali beSenegal emva ngoba bekungekho bhola bazufumanayo kubadlali basesiswimi abafana noWillard Katsande.
Kwisigaba sesibini iSenegal ikhusele amagowuli wayo amabini. Nangona ibuye ibhetele nje iZimbabwe kwesi isigaba – kodwa khange kutshintshe nto. Ukuba ibingekokuzama kukanozinti, iZimbabwe ngeyivuthululwe kakhulu yiSenegal.
Kumdlalo wokuqala iTunisia yothuse umzi ngethuba ibetha i-Algeria ngo’2-1 kumdlalo obunzima kaGroup B. ifolosi ye-Algeria eyoyikwayo, uRiyad Mahrez, uzame wancama kwiTunisia.
Nangona iTunisia ibethiwe kumdlalo wayo wokuqala – kodwa namhlanje iqinisekisile ukuba iimpazamo ezenze kumdlalo wokuqala iyazilungisa. Amazwe asakhangela amanqaku apheleleyo kuGroup B yiZimbabwe ne-Algeria. Phakathi kweTunisia, iZimbabwe ne-Algeria – elinye lawo lisenalo ithuba lokuya phambili ukuba liqhuba kakuhle kumdlalo wokugqibela ngeCawe.
UMzantsi Afrika uzuze inqaku kwiCongo Brazzaville ebibhokile kowayo!