Members of the Senior men’s national soccer team, the Warriors, have demanded that those claiming that their defeat to DRC was fixed should provide evidence or simply shut up, it has been revealed.

Sunday Chidzambwa’s charges were humiliated 4-0 by the Leopards in their last Group A game and reports of possible foulplay emerged yesterday with fingers being pointed at goalkeeper Elvis Chiezeze, prompting the Warriors to respond backing their teammate.

According to The Herald, captain Knowledge Musona told his teammates that he believes that there are some people who were bent on making the team the ‘fall guys’ of this year’s AFCON and use them as a scapegoat to cover up for the real issues affecting Zimbabwean football.

The publication further alleges that Musona even told his teammates that they are an ‘unwanted unit’ and their recent success stories (qualifying for AFCON 2017 and 2019) have delayed ploys to tarnish their image as a team.

Team manager Wellington Mpandare, speaking on behalf of the players, told The Herald, that the players said those accusing them of fixing the game should provide substantiative evidence to back their claims, or keep quiet.

“The players are saying they have been badly affected by what they have been reading, especially the allegations that they might have participated in something to shame their country and the fans whom they believe they have represented well in this campaign,’’ said Mpandare.

“They say they are challenging those who are trumpeting this case not to base it on hearsay but to provide concrete evidence to back their claims or else they should refrain from dragging their reputations through the mud.