WARRIORS’ number one choice goalkeeper Washington Arubi has reiterated that the national team’s recent embarrassing defeat to Egypt at home will forever haunt his football career.
Report By Brian Nkiwane
Arubi, retrieved the ball from the nets four times as Zimbabwe crushed to a 4-2 defeat at the hands of the Pharaohs at the National Sports Stadium last Sunday, blowing up their slim chances of making it to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The youthful Warriors became the first team, in the history of Zimbabwean football, to concede four goals on home soil since 1980.
Arubi, who performed extremely well for his South African premiership side Pretoria University in his debut season in the Absa Premiership, winning the Player of the Year award at the club, said the loss was a bitter pill to swallow for most of the young players who were part of the losing team “It’s always nice to be part of a team that sets positive records than what happened last Sunday — being part of a national team that is tearing apart standing records for the worse. I know most of the players in this youthful squad wanted to set a better record — that is beating Egypt, but all our plans went astray,” Arubi said.
Zimbabwe had for long time kept a respectable home record of not conceding more than three goals on their own soil. The good record was then shattered on September 5 2004, when they were drubbed 3-0 by Nigeria in a Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the National Sports Stadium costing Rahman Gumbo his job as Warriors coach.
Julius Aghahowa scored first in the fourth minute with Joseph Enakarhire making it two up in the 27th minute, while Yakubu Ayegbeni made it three in the 50th minute from the spot.
The soft-spoken goalie added that they were looking forward to stopping being a bad history-making team, ahead of their away match in Conakry Guinea this afternoon.
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“Everyone in camp knows what hit us last Sunday, so we are all focused so that we don’t continue to set unpleasing records.”
Asked about the composition of the current Warriors team, Arubi said it was the duty of the coach to call up players that would fit his plans and type of play.
“I cannot dwell much on that, but every player in the camp has a feeling that there are some players that should be with us here.”
Arubi minced his words but on numerous occasions Warriors fans have called on Klaus-Dieter-Pagels to include Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Willard Katsande, who had a good season at his South African premiership side, helping them to win a double — the championship which they last won eight years ago, as well as the Nedbank Cup.
Fans have also called upon Pagels to deal with his porous defence by bringing back Amazulu big defender Carlington Nyadombo, as well as tear-away winger Edward Sadomba, the only local player to have played in the Sudanese League as well as winning the CAF Champions League Golden Boot award.
