ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Zimbabwe’s 2022 World Cup qualification hopes dimmed further after they fell to a last-minute spot kick goal away to Ethiopia on Tuesday.

The Warriors drew their opening match 0-0 with South Africa in Harare last week and needed a win against the plucky Ethiopians to get their campaign back on track.

Playing second fiddle to the Ethiopians for the greater part of the game, Zdravko Logarušić’s men thought they had done enough to secure a point but they were felled by a last-gasp sucker punch.

Defender Alec Mudima was adjudged to have handled in the box by Seychelles referee, Bernard Camille. Aschalew Tamene tucked away the spot kick as Ethiopia, beaten 1-0 by Ghana in their opening Group G match, came back into serious contention.

South Africa beat Ghana 1-0 on Monday with a late Bongokuhle Hlongwane goal and now top the group with four points from the opening two matches. Ethiopia and Ghana have three points each while Zimbabwe bring the rear with the single point.

Croat Logarušić thought Zimbabwe had been hard done by. He did not think the ball hit Mudimu’s hand, and if it did he still thought the action was outside the box.

“It was a difficult game. I couldn’t see exactly what happened but I think Alec was outside the box and, secondly, I think the ball hit his shoulder,” the coach said.

“And, thirdly, it was very difficult for us to understand, at first he (the referee) said nothing but after five, six seconds he called it a penalty.

“At the end I think we deserved a minimum of a draw. What is bothering me is that we had our chances much earlier to put the game on our side, then we missed our chances and at the end a very, very crucial decision from the referee killed us.

“But, if you don’t score, sometimes at the front, you get punished at the back. Anyway, that is what is there, we have to focus on the next game, since we have only played two games.

“We have two games against Ghana (in November), that means we have to go and pick the maximum points, home and away.”

Teams

Ethiopia: A. Gabremichael, F. Gebremichael, A. Tonjo (A Yalew 75th min), A. Tamene, G.Kabede (A. Yohannes 75th min), M. Mahommed (S. Hamid 75th min), S. Bekele (T. Solomon 30th min), Y. Baye, Y. Endashaw, R. Yesuf, A Ahmad

Zimbabwe: T. Shumba, G. Chimwemwe, O, Bhasera, A. Mudimu, D. Lunga (K. Mahachi 87th min), M. Munetsi, T. Kamusoko, P. Chikwende (I. Wadi 65th min), K. Musona, K. Billiat, T. Dzvukamanja