The Zimbabwe Football Association was left counting losses after several fans who had come to watch the 1-1 draw against DRC on Tuesday accessed the stadium without paying.

The association had hoped to cash in from gate takings, but inconveniences at the entry points saw them losing a lot of potential revenue. About 50 000 fans attended the match at National Sports Stadium, but sadly, only a small number of less than 25% paid their way into the venue.

The game started while there were long queues outside the stadium. The situation was made worst when Khama Billiat scored in the first minute, and this prompted impatient fans to force their way in at some of the entry points. Others even climbed over the perimeter fence outside the arena.

Security details on duty tried to contain the chaos, but there was nothing they could do as they were overpowered.

Those who accessed without paying went on to occupy Bays 15-18 which were going for $10 before filling other spaces.

The cheapest ticket was pegged at $5, up from $3 which had been announced a week before the encounter, while VIP was costing $50.

Nonetheless, the Warriors managed to put smiles on their supporters with their performance despite failing to get a victory which could have handed them qualification to the tournament. They are now 8 points on top and need at least a point in their next match against Liberia to book their berth at the finals.