adminWHILE there was joy for Emmanuel Mandiranga and Tinotenda Muringai, who won their first silverware with UD Songo of Mozambique, it was a disappointing weekend for Callisto Pasuwa and his Nyasa Big Bullets.
The three provided the Zimbabwean interest in the invitational pre-season international tournament held in Malawi.
Mandiranga arrived at the Mozambican side from CAPS United while Muringai is on loan from Dynamos.
The tournament organisers had wanted Dynamos to feature only to be told that the Glamour Boys could not do so because of the suspension imposed on Zimbabwe by FIFA.
Songo, who will be playing in the CAF Champions League this year, were the winners of the tournament while Pasuwa’s team, the dominant force in Malawi in the past four years, finished bottom of the table.
Pasuwa has admitted the Malawian champions found it tough playing without three key players.
Bullets failed to score in goalless draws against Mozambique’s Ferroviario de Nampula and their local rivals Mighty Mukuru Wanderers as well as in the 1-0 loss to eventual champions UD Songo.
After the bonanza, Pasuwa said the team lacked coordination.
“I think these are combinations. When building up, you start from the back and there is no way we can talk about strikers only, a midfielder can score as well.
“It’s a combination that we need to rectify when we go back to training.
“We had Hassan Kajoke and Babatunde Adepoju who left so with these guys we are testing and we need one who can be scoring goals for us.
“Our strikers will get there. We have Anthony Mfune and Maxwell Gasten Phodo who are scorers, so it’s not a thing to worry about.
“We will come out good.”
Babatunde, who won the 2022 TNM Super League Golden Boot, joined Venda Academy of South Africa Second Division while Kajoke signed for Silver Strikers before the expiry of his contract, prompting Bullets to lodge a complaint with Football Association of Malawi.
The Zimbabwean coach conceded that the central midfield also missed playmaker Idana, who joined Tanzania’s Mbeya FC, but has been loaned to Silver Strikers.
However, Pasuwa said he expects Mike Mkwate, who returned from South Africa a week ago after parting ways with Polokwane City, to fit into Idana’s shoes.
“I think the replacement for Chimwemwe Idana is Mike. Idana was a playmaker for us, so Mike [arriving] is a plus sign for us and for the scorers, we still need to find them,” he said. — Sports Reporter/Nation.
Online Reporter