adminSikhumbuzo Moyo in BULAWAYO
WARRIORS’ coach Callisto Pasuwa has urged his men to stay focused from the first whistle to the end of the match when they take on Lesotho in an African Nations Championship qualifier at Barbourfields tomorrow.
Zimbabwe;s first choice goalkeeper, Washington Arubi, conceded a howler moments after the Nations Cup encounter against Guinea in Harare last month.
And, probably still haunted by that Arubi mistake that robbed his team of three points, Pasuwa yesterday called for total concentration from his boys.
“We need to be totally focused from the very first minute. We don’t want a repeat of what happened during the Guinea match,” said the former Dynamos gaffer.
Lesotho said they will attack from the first touch as they search for an away goal that will make the return leg back in Maseru much easier for them. But Pasuwa, who has some injury worries in his camp, said what they need to do was to just keep their shape and avoid playing to the demands of their opponents.
“We are playing at home, in front of our supporters, we need to keep our shape and once we do that, our opponents might find it difficult to score, we will not concede,” he said.
Two of Zimbabwe’s key defenders, Teenage Hadebe and Blessing Moyo, are still carrying injuries with Pasuwa saying they will use this morning’s training session at Barbourfields to see if he can throw them into the fray.
“Our last training session is tomorrow (today) at BF, where we are also expected to drop three players from the 21 we have but we will only do that after getting a medical opinion from the team doctors even though I am confident that they will make it,” said Pasuwa, who is assisted by Nation Dube and Saul Chaminuka.
From yesterday’s training session at White City, Highlanders’ Hadebe and Chicken Inn’s Lawrence Moyo could be the two central defenders while the duo of Dynamos’ Blessing Moyo and Ocean Mushure will operate from the right and left back respectively.
Skipper Danny Phiri will take care of issues from the defensive midfield position while Highlanders’ Bruce Kangwa will play in the same role that former Highlanders coach Bongani Mafu used him – on the left midfield link.
FC Platinum’s Marshal Mudehwe and Highlanders Nqobizitha Masuku will complete the midfield deploy- ment.
Dynamos’ Rodreck Mutuma looks set to be the out-and-out striker with any of the country’s leading marksmen – Knox Mutizwa and Edmore Chirambadare – playing just behind him.
Online Reporter