Grinder backs Warriors . . . warns Gorowa and his troops against losing tactical discipline

Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
ZIMBABWE’S Warriors have been warned against losing their tactical discipline if they are to overcome Zambia in the African Nations Championships Battle of the Zambezi qualifying showdown at Rufaro tomorrow.The Warriors host Chipolopolo in the first leg of the final CHAN qualifier needing to secure a win that would make their job much easier when they travel to Ndola for the reverse fixture on August 24.
It is the second meeting between the two Southern African rivals inside three weeks with Chipolopolo having dethroned the Warriors from the mantle of Cosafa champions via a 2-0 win in the 2013 final at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on July 20.
Zambia had earlier also beaten Zimbabwe by a similar margin when the two sides met in Lusaka in April, in an international friendly with Boniface Mwape striking twice in a match that was part of the commemoration of the air disaster that wiped away an entire Chipolopolo team in 1993.
Tomorrow, the two sides meet in a game where the stakes have grown even higher than winning the Cosafa Cup given that the CHAN is the continent’s second tier competition after the Nations Cup.
But Zifa board member competitions, Benedict “Grinder’’ Moyo, believes the Warriors could achieve their target if they maintain their tactical discipline and keep their concentration levels high throughout the game.
Moyo, who chairs Zifa’s High performance sub-committee and also sits on the Cosafa technical study group, was in Zambia from start to finish of the regional tournament. His position in the Cosafa technical study group enabled Moyo to closely assess all the teams that took part, including Chipolopolo.
The Zifa board member and former Warriors assistant coach is convinced that the side, which new Zimbabwe gaffer Ian Gorowa has assembled, has “a very strong chance’’ of upstaging Chipolopolo at Rufaro tomorrow.
Interestingly, Zambia have come a cropper against the Warriors on their last two visits to Rufaro, losing 3-1 in the 2009 Cosafa Cup final before falling 0-2 in an international friendly in their build-up to the 2012 Nations Cup which they eventually won.
Moyo yesterday predicted an explosive encounter tomorrow on the basis that the two sides play a similar attacking game.
“Both teams play direct football and it should be an interesting duel that should keep both sets of defenders on their toes.
“I think it is the team that applies itself more which will win but if we can maintain our tactical discipline and retain our concentration for the entire game, then we should come good,’’ Moyo said.
Moyo also reckoned that the underdog tag would help reduce pressure on Gorowa’s men tomorrow.
With Zambia’s French coach Herve Renard having steadily turned Chipolopolo into a big force on the continent there is no doubt that the visitors, who played some fine attacking football during the Cosafa tournament, will start as favourites.
Moyo said he had also observed that the Zambians have strong centrebacks and a mobile midfield that is powered by good wingers.
“Zambia have very good and strong centrebacks who complement each other well and they also have a very good goalkeeper (Danny Munyau), who was even voted the best goalkeeper in the Cosafa tournament.
“Although their strikers are average, they have very good wingers who should not be afforded a lot of room to manoeuvre.
“But I think we have a youthful side that has not been tested and who have nothing to lose really. Of course, we would want to win and qualify for the CHAN tournament but I think the pressure is more on Zambia as the Cosafa champions.
Moyo also said it was important that the Warriors forwards find their cutting edge against the Zambians tomorrow.
In their first round, second leg qualifier against Mauritius at Rufaro last Sunday, the Warriors were guilty of missing a glut of opportunities.
Skipper Masimba Mambare and his troops ended up being desperate after a frustrating afternoon in front of goal with the Highlanders midfielder eventually playing a true captain’s role when he found the target five minutes from time.
“We also have to learn to be patient and not to easily get frustrated. Against Mauritius we created 24 chances but our conversion rate was very poor and we ended up being desperate.
“If you look at the goal that we conceded against them, it was because everyone was now pouring forward in search for goals and we were caught on the break.
“If we have tactical discipline, keep our shape throughout the game and take the chances that come our way we will find the result that we need,’’ Moyo said.
Chipolopolo, who were held 1-1 away from home by Botswana in the first round, first leg, will arrive at Rufaro to also find a different Warriors side from the one they met in the Cosafa final in Ndola.
This is because Gorowa has made a number of changes to the team that his predecessor Klaus Dieter Pagels threw into battle in Ndola on July 20.
Where Pagels found faith in such players like Harare City’s Maxwell Nyamupanedengu, Monomotapa fringe player Nicholas Guyo and Last Chibwiro of Black Mambas, Gorowa has turned to the Bosso pair of Peter Moyo and Milton Ncube, FC Platinum hitman Nelson Maziwisa and CAPS United goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube.
Unlike the Cosafa squad, where selection was limited to just two players per club, Gorowa and his assistants Callisto Pasuwa and Mkhuphali Masuku have had the luxury of choosing as many players as they see fit from each team as Zimbabwe seek to secure a third successive CHAN appearance.
Gorowa has since his appointment, been stressing on the need for the Warriors to qualify for the CHAN tournament in South Africa next January, which he believes will have immense benefits on the players and the domestic game.
Premier Soccer League chief executive Kenny Ndebele this week also weighed in with his support for the Warriors and insisted that qualifying for the CHAN finals would reap huge rewards for the top-flight as the players who are eligible for the competition are drawn from the Premiership.
Tomorrow’s showdown with the Zambians also provides Gorowa with the first big test of his tenure as Warriors coach given that an element of complacency might have crept in when they played Mauritius at Rufaro while already carrying a healthy 3-0 lead.
There will be no such luxury at Rufaro tomorrow as the Warriors will have to fight to the bitter end and ensure they are quicker to the ball and to try and close down on the Chipolopolo forwards who are usually ably supported by their roving wingbacks.