Match fixing: 'Jaure has case to answer'

NATIONAL team assistant coach, Saul Chaminuka, believes Warriors' defender, Partson Jaure, has a case to answer in the unfolding match fixing scandal which is now threatening to derail preparations for the back-to-back 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against Swaziland later this month.

Warriors plunge into battle against Sihlangu on Easter Monday before they square up against the same team in two weeks time at home in crucial Group L Afcon qualifiers.

But Warriors preparations have been thrown into turmoil with the suspension of Zifa board member, Edzai Kasinauyo following his alleged involvement in a sophisticated match fixing ploy that had targeted, among other games, to manipulate the tie against Swaziland.

On their website, Zifa revealed this week that the other Warriors' assistant coach, Nation Dube, former Warriors gaffer, Ian Gorowa, a former high ranking employee of the association, previously heavily implicated in the Asiagate match fixing scam and two current employees of the country's football governing body are part of the match fixing ring.

The association also claim that a number of South African based players, notably George Chigova and defender, Partson Jaure are also heavily implicated in the scam that has targeted matches in the ABSA Premiership as well as the Warriors.

The players are said to have been promised $5 000 each to grind results that suit their paymasters.

Giving credence to claims by Zifa, Chaminuka, who was in charge of the team that was on national duty in the Cosafa tournament in South Africa last year while his boss, Callisto Pasuwa was in charge of the Under-23 team that was gunning for a place in the Rio Olympics, told Post Sport this week that he was convinced Jaure had a case to answer.

The former Buffaloes gaffer, who is now in charge of Border Strikers in Beit Bridge, said it was clear to him from the defender's performance in the match against Namibia that he was literally playing for their opponents.

"This issue on match fixing will obviously add more pressure on the players when we play Swaziland. I am actually shocked that we are working hard to produce positive results while some people are pocketing large sums of cash just to sabotage our efforts. We went to Chan with promises and up until now we got nothing, but promises, yet some people are making cash out of our efforts.

"It is now clear to me that some of players are being paid to influence results. I believe that Partson Jaure really has a case to answer. Judging by the way he played when I was in charge of the team in the Cosafa tournament in South Africa, I have no option, but to believe that he has a case to answer.

"I remember very well the match we lost to Namibia. All things being equal we were not supposed to have lost that match. Jaure was supposed to have been covering for Hardlife Zvirekwi on the left, but somehow he kept playing like a high school kid.

"I am actually looking for the video clips of those matches because it is now clear to me that those matches must have been fixed. I have been in football for quite some time and I know how my players perform. These things are a result of the lack of remuneration for both players and coaches," said Chaminuka.

Interestingly, it has already been revealed that the match fixing cartel was also daring and even targeted matches at the 2015 Cosafa Cup and some matches at the Chan 2016 finals.

Zimbabwe Chan Class of 2016 squad finished bottom of their pool with just one point to show for their efforts after more than 270 minutes of play.

The team lost their first two Group D matches by identical 1-0 score-lines and in similar circumstances against Zambia and Mali to bow out of the competition.

Be that as it may, Zimbabwe faces Swaziland after the Warriors missed a golden opportunity to seize the initiative in Group L of the 2017 Afcon qualifiers when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Guinea in Harare in September last year.

Memories of goalkeeper, Washington Arubi's blunder handing the visitors an early lead are still vivid in the minds of many fans.

Although the talismanic, Knowledge Musona, equalised 24 minutes into the game, the Warriors just could not find the winning goal.

Zimbabwe had gone into the match desperate for a win which would have handed them the initiative in Group L.

The visitors were one-up two minutes in after Arubi struggled to control an awkward-looking back pass from midfielder, Danny Phiri, and Idrissa Sylla slammed home from close range.

The early setback stunned the estimated 35 000 fans who had packed Harare's Rufaro Stadium, but Zimbabwe were soon warming up the atmosphere with some persistent offensive play.Guinea for their part were also determined to avoid another slip-up after a surprise 1-2 loss at home to Swaziland in the opening round.