With two 35 minutes on the clock and the Warriors trailing Benin 0-2, many predicted a massacre.
Michael Nees’ charges got off the worst possible start in their 2026 World Cup qualifiers Group C clash against the Cheetahs yesterday evening.
A howler by veteran goalkeeper Washington Arubi, of all people, in the 11th minute, gifted the visitors the opener.
Arubi made a mess out of an attempted pass aimed at Munashe Garan’anga and Mounie Steve capitalized and punished Zimbabwe to draw first blood for Benin.
Benin doubled their lead in the 35th minute after a neat exchange of passes in the Zimbabwe box which saw Dokou Dodo firing home from close range, to silence the about 7000 spectators inside the stadium.
But the drama was far from over.
Captain Marshall Munetsi restored hope just before halftime when he fired home from close range after brilliant work on the left by man of the match Jordan Zemura.
Appeals for offside in the buildup by the Benin players fell on deaf ears, and the two teams went into the halftime interval with the West Africans leading 2-1.
Nees made a change just before the start of the second half, bringing on Tawanda Chirewa for Prince Dube, and the move paid dividends, as the Huddersfield Town star appeared to be what the Warriors were missing in the first half.
Zimbabwe restored parity in the 59th minute when a Zemura found Knowledge Musona, who equally made a clever run and finished brilliantly from a tight angle.
The Zemura-Musona combination almost resulted in Zimbabwe completing the turnaround in the 63rd minute, when the latter was found in the box and nearly toed the ball home, though the far-side assistant referee had raised the flag for offside.
In the end, the two teams could not be separated and settled for a share of the spoils, a result which both coaches concurred to have been fair.
The Warriors, who are still bottom of the group on three points, resume their campaign against Nigeria in Uyo on Tuesday.
