The Sunday Mail
IT wasn’t a Good Friday for yours truly, I lost $100 after betting on a Warriors win away in Swaziland.
Betting is strictly prohibited by the apostolic sect I joined at the beginning of the year although one is allowed to have 17 wives.
Talk of double standards!
I even met our muvhangeri as I headed for the betting house and he lectured me on the need to follow the church’s doctrine.
However, something in me told me Kallisto Pasuwa and his men would beat Sihlangu, so I proceeded with my journey.
With a Warriors win paying $2,90 for every dollar, I saw myself $290 richer after the final whistle.
And I know VaShagare wasn’t alone, many out there also backed the Warriors but they are just too scared to confess because their wives will skin them alive.
How dare you tell her that you cannot take the family to Tawanda Mutyebere’s place because you lost money after betting for the Warriors?
Yes, my $100 was lost but the value of the point gained away in Mbabane has not been lost to me.
At first glance, before the Guinea versus Malawi match, that draw with Swaziland looked really bad.
However, with the Syli nationale and Flames playing out a goalless draw in Conakry, that point has turned into gold.
Sadly for Pasuwa, the daggers are already pointed his way with many questioning his team selection and taking issue with the fact that we could not beat “little” Swaziland.
For some reason, most of us expected the Warriors to collect maximum points away to a team that is ranked higher than them on the Fifa rankings without breaking much sweat.
Those ranking mean something and the betting odds also tell a story — a Swaziland win was paying a dollar while a Warriors win was paying $2,90.
Sihlangu, who also top Group L, are ranked 124th in the world and the Warriors are the 131st best footballing team on the globe, according to those rankings.
In 1993, Zimbabwe was at number 43 and the graph has been going down ever since while Swaziland’s has been going up.
Those that are directing brickbats at Pasuwa raise both ludicrous and valid points but I feel this is not the time to criticise.
It shall come.
We have a game coming up tomorrow and all our energies should be directed towards rallying behind the team.
Granted, the decision to play Cuthbert Malajila was shocking but if the national team gaffer decides to play him again tomorrow, we just have to support him and the Warriors.
Let’s not seek to link the decision to the fact that Pasuwa and Malajila are managed by the same guy, no, not at all.
Let’s not even ask why Malajila, who has seen little action at Mamelodi Sundowns, was called up ahead of an on fire Tendai Ndoro.
Having Eric Chipeta at right back was another surprise Good Friday call from Pasuwa and the Chipa United man struggled with his game and was culpable for the goal we conceded.
However, if Pasuwa makes a repeat call for tomorrow’s game, we have no option but to support the coach and the Warriors.
I repeat, now is not the time to chew into him, the time will come but when that time comes, let’s not conveniently forget that Pasuwa didn’t have much time to prepare his team.
He had just three days with the boys in camp.
Let’s not forget that the national team gaffer was not afforded an opportunity to play a friendly match ahead of the tie against Sihlangu.
Let’s also not forget the psychological effect of the Limpopogate saga.
VaShagare exits the scene!
VaShagare is the founder of DeMbare DotComs and can be contacted on that Facebook page as well as the email shagare18area.gmail.com
