adminGrace Chingoma Sports Reporter
FORMER Young Warriors midfielder Devon Chafa still believes Zimbabwe have a chance to turn the tables and squeeze past South Africa when the two teams meet in a revere fixture of the African Under-23 Championships final qualifier.
Chafa, who has also played for the Warriors, backed the Young Warriors to secure their ticket to the championships set for Senegal in December despite being held 1-1 at Rufaro yesterday.
The How Mine man, who was a key member of the 2011 class, which showed so much potential and had the likes of Qadr Amini, Denver Mukamba, Archieford Gutu, Mathew Rusike, Russell Madamombe and Obey Mwerahari, believes the current crop has a good away record and can use it to their advantage in a fortnight.
He believes the greatest undoing for the Young Warriors was that the team they were playing was better prepared.
“It was just their day (South Africa) they dominated the midfield and were concentrating on ball possession.
“But the good thing with the current crop is that they are better when they are playing away and they may get a good result in Johannesburg. Maybe the tables will just turn for us.
“It is not that intimidating playing in South Africa and if they play at Sinaba it is not a big ground and also the surface is grass and they can still push for a god result,” Chafa said.
Chafa disputed suggestions that there is added pressure for Zimbabwe whenever they face South Africa as most of the players would want to impress and attract the scouts who will be in their numbers especially when the countries’ youth teams meet.
A number of players such as international forward Knowledge Musona were first spotted by Kaizer Chiefs when he was featuring for the Under-20 team in South Africa.
“There is no added pressure playing South Africa. Actually it is an advantage as it is an opportunity to play well and get noticed by the scouts.
“I just think in terms of preparations they (South Africa) were better prepared unlike us and they usually do that when they are preparing to qualify for some tournaments,” said Chafa.
Another former Young Warriors player Alois Bunjira, who was part of the team which picked a silver medal in the then All-Africa Games in 1995, said the Zimbabwe Under-23 team was outclassed but believes they can still qualify for the tournament if they do their home work well.
“If it was a boxing match, I would say we were outclassed. The result saves face but in terms of football we were beaten. But the good thing with football is you can still turn the tables as it is not over until the final whistle. If we play a highly technical game we can beat them.
“They (South Africa) are very skilful, they thrive on technical ability and were better than us so we should plan on beating them tactically.
“I think we lost the game in midfield and players wearing shirt number 8 (Ayabulela Kongobe), 10 (Siphelele Ntshangase), 5 (Abbubaker Mobara) drove the team and never mind number 11 (Keegan Dolly) he can be neutralised.
“Gerald Takwara was falling too deep forcing Wisdom Mutasa to come deeper leaving space for number 10 and Ngobizitha (Masuku) was nowhere to be seen,” Bunjira said.
Bunjira, who played for a long time in the South African Premiership, felt the visitors’ technical team is also sound and there is need to properly organise ourselves if we are to force a scoring draw or a victory by any margin.
“They have a rich technical bench and are technically sound, so we can only beat them in organisation. If we can close down their midfield, we would have done a great job. Yes, they will do their homework, but we will do the same and their strike force is not good,” he said.
The former CAPS United striker believes the young players also gave respect to their opponents.
“I think the players lacked character today (yesterday). The young boys gave respect to the name South Africa and they need to kill that in their minds. They should have a ghetto approach and be bullish at all the time but that is lacking from current players.
“I remember we had character and didn’t respect our opponents. I remember even Nigeria in the Olympic qualifiers. We just did not care that we were playing Nigeria which had Okocha (Austin Jay Jay) and Kanu (Nkwanwo) we still didn’t care.
“But today there was no energy in the boys and you could even see the body language that they were giving respect to them. “I don’t doubt that the talent is there, they have it, but I don’t know if it is lack of fitness or confidence, today’s players they no longer want to dribble one man, cross and go.
“The goal we conceded, Wisdom had one player but decided to turn and have a blind back pass instead of taking on the man,” Bunjira said.
Online Reporter