Sunday Chidzambwa’s Words Still Ring True: ‘We Created Chances and Failed to Score’
As a country, we have a long-standing issue in front of goal — the absence of a true gunman since the glory days of Agent Sawu and Peter Ndlovu. This is not about coaching styles or foreign influence; it’s a deeper, generational gap that has haunted Zimbabwean football for years.
A perfect example was the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations clash against Uganda, a night that still stirs mixed emotions among Warriors fans.
Ahead of that game, social media was alive with joking, confidence, and banter. Zimbabweans knew they had the better team on paper — and the performance confirmed it. The Warriors dominated possession, created clear-cut chances, and looked sharper technically. Yet somehow, Uganda escaped with a 1–1 draw, celebrating as though they had beaten a giant.
Looking back, that result still hurts because it reflected everything good and bad about Zimbabwean football: flair, heart, and creativity — but no finishing touch.
“Today we created many chances and failed to put them away. This happens in football,”
— Zimbabwe coach Sunday Chidzambwa, post-match.
That night in Cairo told the story clearly:
Khama Billiat equalised after Ovidy Karuru’s low cross.
Knowledge Musona missed two golden opportunities — one blasted over from close range, another rattling the crossbar with the goalkeeper beaten.
Evans Rusike saw his deflected effort spin agonisingly into Denis Onyango’s hands.
Even the Ugandan press acknowledged what everyone saw. Writing on June 26, 2019, journalist Ismael Kiyonga captured it perfectly in his Full-Time Analysis:
“What a game of football! Zimbabwe had all the chances to win it but Uganda were resilient at the back.
Desabre deserves credit for his substitutions. Lwanga and Kyambadde changed things for the Cranes.
Like against Egypt, Zimbabwe didn’t deserve to lose, but football is a game of taking chances. They didn’t take theirs.”
That performance proved something crucial: Zimbabwe can outplay Africa’s strongest sides, yet without a reliable finisher, dominance means little. From Musona and Billiat in 2019 to the current generation missing chances against Lesotho and Rwanda, the pattern is painfully familiar.
Until Zimbabwe find or develop a natural goal scorer — a true gunman in the box — we will continue to create moments of brilliance that end in frustration rather than victory.