It’s a sin to concede near-post goal: Zulu

COSMAS Zulu a veteran goalkeepers’ coach says it is a sin for any goalkeeper to be beaten on the near post.

Highlanders and Greenfuel coaches watched in horror recently as Nedric Madeya and Ariel Sibanda were beaten on the near post.

Madeya allowed Chicken Inn to score two goals as they lost 2-0 at Luveve Stadium on April 13.

Greenfuel reacted quickly and benched him for the match against Herentals last weekend.

With just seven minutes played, Highlanders fluffed a scoring chance and speed merchant Brian Muza, received the ball in his side of goal and ran almost 50m with Archford Faira chasing him until he shot at goal inside the box.

Nine minutes later, a high press yielded results for a committed Chicken Inn whose game plan was to score quick goals.

Brian Mlotshwa, as Bosso defenders casually played the ball among themselves at the back, passed the ball to Sibanda in goal for Highlanders, who with enough space to have a touch or two and clear or pass wide to the left, played the ball to a grateful Michael Charamba.

Sibanda failed to direct his ball wide to the left where there was evergreen Faira but chose a weak ball to the centre, Charamba advanced, outpacing desperate Highlanders defenders to stab again on the near post where the goalkeeper was beaten clean.

“It is criminal for any goalkeeper to be beaten on the near post. That is where you have your goal covered. It is not acceptable in football and in my team if you do that, the next game you are out,” said Zulu, who has worked with a number of great goalkeepers who include four-time Zimbabwe Goalkeeper of the Year, Sibanda.

He said it is common for good goalkeepers to make mistakes, but they tend to be far in between.

Zulu expressed concern over Highlanders’ conceding of early goals of late.

He cast blame on the warm up.

He said warm up is not just about players running but must attend to every department’s needs and what they will do on the field.

“Against Ngezi, Dynamos and Chicken Inn, Highlanders conceded early goals. It is a worrying factor that may speak to warm up and what it entailed.

“When you look at overseas football, warm up starts with goalkeepers passing the ball to each other in the form of back passes. It helps their footwork and confidence in the game in that regard.

“Another coach takes defenders to drills to deal with defensive headers, passes and clearances, midfielders do what is specific like passing and strikers, heading and shooting is their business. This is what comes in a game of football, if you do warm up that is specific to the tasks you rarely err because that was a reminder of what to expect in a game.

“That is why you see three or so people involved in the warm up, so that the departments are attended to,” said Zulu.

He said he was disappointed that his former goalkeeper conceded a goal where his footwork and confidence was found wanting, when there appeared to be less danger, as the nearest striker was more than 10 metres away and not in full flight.

A worrying factor again is Highlanders’ failure to reign in defenders Peter Muduhwa and Andrew Mbeba who are picking up needless cards.

Bosso were without enterprising rightback Marvelous Chigumira due to a suspension, which forced changes at the back with Mlotshwa the scapegoat of a centre back hole that did not look convincing on the day.

Chicken Inn were their worst enemies as they could have scored another two or three goals, but poor work in the final third ensured the result ended 2-1 in their favour.