Zimbabwe national soccer team skipper, Dennis Dauda believes fans who turned up to watch Warriors match against the Brave Warriors of Namibia at the National Sports Stadium failed the nation after they booed goalkeeper Herbert Rusawo for missing a penalty.
According to Dauda, the warriors fans were ungrateful as the national team performed well and only needed support from the terraces especially to Rusawo following his penalty miss.
The Warriors team against Namibia, made up of local based players, had a forgettable and uninspiring performance.
Despite winning one nil on the day, they eventually lost 5-4 on penalties after the game had ended 1-1 on aggregate and Dauda, whose appointment as warriors skipper was seen as a “Thank You” gesture to Prophet Walter Magaya’s benevolence towards the Warriors chose to blame fans for “booing” Rusawo.
who missed a penalty that eventually sealed fate against the home side.
“We did well and we gave our all, but the supporters did not play their part. They let us down. When the goalkeeper missed his penalty, they started booing him which led to loss of confidence.
“He is our keeper yet the home fans boo him, I think that was not on. We should be supporting our own,” said the gangly player.
Rusawo, a regular penalty taker at his club Black Rhinos, shot meekly at the Namibia goalkeeper which proved costly for the hosts after Devon Chafa, Milton Ncube and Praise Tonha had done the job for the Warriors.
Dauda’s remarks will do little to mend the relationship between the Warriors and soccer fans who have of late been critical of the direction the football administrators are taking since the election of Phillip Chiyangwa at the helm of Zimbabwe football.
