Zimbabwe drew 2-2 with Benin in a World Cup qualifying match, with goalkeeper Washington Arubi’s blunder contributing to the early goals from Benin. The Warriors equalized thanks to goals from Marshall Munetsi and Knowledge Musona, but they remain at the bottom of Group C as they prepare for an upcoming match against Nigeria.
In their recent World Cup qualifying match, Zimbabwe endured a 2-2 draw against Benin, largely impacted by a mistake from goalkeeper Washington Arubi. In the 12th minute, Arubi mishandled a back pass, allowing Benin’s Dokou Dodo to set up Steve Mounie, who scored the opening goal for the Cheetahs. Following this, Benin maintained dominant control and doubled their lead in the 35th minute when Dodo capitalized on effective teamwork in the box.
The Zimbabwean side, known as the Warriors, rallied back when their captain, Marshall Munetsi, scored on a shot redirected off a back pass from Jordan Zemura, bringing the score to 2-1 at halftime. Warriors coach Michael Nees responded with a tactical substitution, bringing in Tawanda Chirewa for striker Prince Dube and repositioning Knowledge Musona as a center forward. This strategy proved successful as Musona equalized in the 59th minute, finishing a short pass from Zemura following a free kick.
Despite Musona coming close to scoring again later in the match, he was thwarted by Benin’s defense. Nees subsequently made a double substitution in the 83rd minute, introducing Tawanda Maswanhise and Terrence Dzvukamanja, replacing Musona and Khama Billiat. Although he did not score, Jordan Zemura excelled, providing two assists and earning recognition as the best player for Zimbabwe during this match.
As a result of this draw, Zimbabwe currently sits at the bottom of Group C with 3 points, whereas Benin leads the group with 8 points. The Warriors now face a challenging upcoming match against Nigeria’s Super Eagles, scheduled for Tuesday at Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Nigeria.
The match between Zimbabwe and Benin highlighted both the resilience of the Warriors in coming back from an early setback and the impact of individual errors on the outcome. Arubi’s blunder allowed Benin to seize control early, but Zimbabwe’s strategic changes led to a commendable equalizer. Moving forward, Zimbabwe will need a significant performance to secure victory against Nigeria and improve their standing in the qualifiers.
Original Source: www.newzimbabwe.com
