Zimbabwe senior national soccer team ’s third choice goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze’s attempt to equate his horrific display in Cairo to being human was met with disdain by angry Warriors supporters forcing the South Africa based goalminder to offer a second apology.
It was the goalkeeper’s second howler in as many days coming just hours after he made a meal out of what should have been a routine save that gifted DR Congo an early lead.
Zimbabwe eventually fell 4-0 against DR Congo in a decisive Group A match on Sunday night as Sunday Chidzambga’s charges were booted out of the Total Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
“Even if people criticize and judge me, I have learnt from these incidents,” Chipezeze started off by saying.
“We are human and we make mistakes, but learning from them is what makes the difference…(raised hands) gutted with the performance,” he concluded.
The apology and justification all wrapped in one drew the ire of Warriors supporters still smarting from a shock early exit from African football’s most celebrated tournament.
Others said the apology was as horrific as the disastrous attempt to stop a harmless cross.
Durke Marcus called it an “an ill thought and insensitive tweet from @ChipezezeElvis. The selfishness in that message is exactly the reason why they failed. Had a perfect chance to market Zim football but now will be known as the team who cried the loudest for money.”
Archie Muskwe weighed in saying “Comrade you were doing a national service or duty, humble yourself with a simple ‘We are sorry and we will do much better next time”
Chipezeze resolved to delete the message and appeared to show remorse.
“I am here today to again apologize for the mistakes I have made and the embarrassment I have caused. I make this apology to my nation and my teammates also not forgetting the technical staff,” he said in a seemingly choreographed retraction of his first statement.
Meanwhile, Warriors supporters in Gweru’s Mkoba high density surburb felt Chipezeze’s horror show was a spiritual curse for the goalkeeper borne out of allegedly abandoning his mother.
The goalminder grew up in Gweru’s Mkoba surburb with his single mother but as his stock was rising, his love for his mother also grew thinner and by the time he went to South Africa he completely forgot about her, close family friends said.
He won the Zimbabwe league title with Chicken Inn in 2005 and was named goalkeeper of the year twice before joining Baroka FC in the South African premier league.
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