Flamboyant Chiyangwa strutting his stuff like a peacock after Zimbabwe won Cosafa Cup
The charismatic Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) president‚ Phillip Chiyangwa‚ walked out of the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace on Sunday with his chest out‚ strutting his stuff like a peacock.
Chiyangwa was pleased with the smooth organisation of the Cosafa Cup that culminated in an entertaining final that saw Zimbabwe become the most successful nation in the tournament’s history by winning their fifth title.
The Warriors beat Zambia 3-1 in the final.
That pleased Chiyangwa‚ who also serves as the president of the Zimbabwean Football Association‚ the most.
“The best team won‚ you know what I mean‚” Chiyangwa said.
“This is the best team in SADC (Southern African Development Community). The best team in Cosafa and with the best president.”
Zimbabwean football has been on an upward spiral.
At the beginning of the year the Warriors ended an 11-year absence in the Africa Cup of Nations.
They were led by Khama Billiat who finished as runner-up in the Caf awards in the Africa-based Player of the Year category.
On the domestic front‚ CAPS United knocked out the mighty TP Mazembe in the Caf Champions League.
The nations’s B-team then went and lifted the Cosafa Cup in Phokeng
“I continue to review all the history that we have had and how Zimbabwean football has been shaped so that Zimbabwe dominates‚ especially Cosafa‚” Chiyangwa said.
“That’s what we are witnessing now. You must understand that before the Afcon‚ we flew to Portugal and drew there before going to play a friendly with Cameroon just before the start of the competition.
Zimbabwe has been playing really serious football.”
The disappointment from the Cosafa Cup was the poor attendance.
The numbers didn’t increase drastically even after people were let in for free in the group stage.
The attendance improved in the final thanks to the Warriors dominance in the tournament and the large Zimbabwean population in Rustenburg.
“Attendance is an issue of management that needs to be reviewed from time to time in order for us to get more crowds coming in‚” Chiyangwa said.
“It wasn’t bad in the final. The result was also fair because the best team won.”
* Njabulo Ngidi was in Rustenburg courtesy of Castle
- TimesLIVE