The Sunday Mail
Sports Reporter
FORMER Lancashire Steel player, Simbarashe Dhliwayo, believes that soccer fans should not entirely blame one player for the Warriors defeat at the hands of hosts Egypt in the opening game of the 2019 Afcon Friday night.
Warriors captain Knowledge Musona gave away possession within his own half, with the incident resulting in the goal that sank the Warriors. Dhliwayo, who is now coach of Red Yellow Blue Academy in Banket, said the country generally did well in the opener.
“Egypt are not a small team and they were playing before their home crowd. We did well, given that they have high profile players in their team,” said Dhliwayo.
“Musona’s situation is very normal in football. You play as a team and lose as a team and it’s not like they also did not plan to contain him,” said Dhliwayo.
Dhliwayo added that for Zimbabwe to add more players that can play at that level, more support is needed for academies.
“We are happy that Ricardo Washeni has been sponsoring this academy in Banket. This is huge for the development of football and for the future of our national team.”
Washeni is a Zimbabwean based in Beijing, China who has been giving back to his community and is director of the football academy. He is also an executive member of division one side Banket United led by chairman Nelson Nzombe.
Ricardo Hwasheni
“We have an academy capable of feeding into Banket United, PSL teams and eventually the national team. This is where football begins. “And it is understandable that players like Marshal Munetsi and Knowledge Musona were developed at academies but made their break outside the country,” Dhliwayo said.
