The ManicaPost
Fungayi Munyoro Sports Correspondent
FORMER Zimbabwe captain and Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Willard Katsande has responded to fans’ criticism that he was responsible for the team’s loss to Liberia.In a telephone interview from his South African base, Katsande said it was unfair to blame the loss on him alone because they had played as a team and lost as a team.
Zimbabwe lost 1-0 in their Group G Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Monrovia.
Katsande’s inclusion in the squad had sparked controversy earlier on as some fans were not happy with his inclusion.
“Everyone expected us to win and that did not happen. We take responsibility because we did not win. It did not go according to plan. The pitch condition was not favourable but we are not using it as an excuse for losing. I don’t think it is fair to criticise me as an individual because we played as a team and lost as a team, it is not fair to point at one individual. That is why it is called a team. On my part, I did what I was supposed to do. We lost as Zimbabwe and not Katsande,” he said.
Katsande urged fans to rally behind the team and promised good results in their next encounter. He said it was time for fans to rally behind the team and look forward to winning the upcoming match.
“We are now focusing on the next encounter as a team. I am looking forward to the next encounter so that we secure our qualification to make our fans happy. Some fans understand the game better,” he said.
Katsande also took time to give details on the harrowing ordeal the team went through on their flight back from Liberia on Monday.
“We had a very bad experience on our flight back from Liberia. It was twenty minutes of hell between Freetown and Accra. It was horrible. It is still very difficult for me to explain in detail because it wasn’t an easy experience. It was a bad experience but we thank God we landed safely.
“I was sitting close to Mhofu (Sunday Chidzambwa) and he calmed us down and told us everything will be ok. When an elderly man tells you this is nothing, you feel reassured. Sometimes you have to experience these things in life so you can share with others because maybe one day it will happen in a plane again,” he said.
However Zifa communication manager Xolisani Gwesela said the plane experienced “unexpected turbulence” and has rubbished rumours of crash landing in Ghana.
