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Lovemore Dube in CASABLANCA, Morocco
YOUNG Warriors coach Callisto Pasuwa has praised his players for the way they battled a strong Morocco side, which needed a late penalty to win, in an international friendly at Grand Stad d’ Agadir on Sunday evening. After the hosts’ 6-1 demolition of Benin on Wednesday, the Warriors seemed to be sacrificial lambs ready to be roasted. Morocco fielded their best players, most of whom feature for clubs in Europe, as they won 2-1.
The hosts’ coach, Ezaki Badou, praised the Zimbabweans.
“They were resolute at the back, they played very well and made it difficult for us with their defensive linkmen, but up front they played off the road,” said Badou.
Pasuwa said he was happy with what he saw.
“The boys played very well, they gave it all their best and we were impressed with specifically how they contained their opponents with the goalkeeper Donovan Benard shutting them out while we were quite compact at the back.
“Our wide midfielders Carlos Rusere and Gabriel Nyoni combined well with defensive links Macauley Bonne and Charles Mukanhairi to provide good cover,” said Pasuwa.
He, however, conceded that transition from defence and midfield into attack was poor.
“We wanted David Moyo to hold the ball up in attack so that we come in numbers but that did not work, but I am happy with the overall performance of the boys, it’s a good start for the future,” said Pasuwa.
“Bonne has a good football brain, work rate and was winning a lot of aerial balls and it was good that he scored on his debut.”
Donovan was in imperious form with wingbacks Blessing Moyo and Ronald Pfumbidzayi giving fair accounts of themselves.
But it was the untried central defence pairing of Teenage Hadebe, who had as many as three scouts having a look at him from Europe, and Bosso reject Douglas Sibanda, who stole the show.
They combined well to thwart several raids by Crystal Palace’s Marouane Chamakh, Parlemo’s Achraf Lazaar, Stoke City’s Assaidi Oussama, Torino’s El Kaddouri Omar and Ait Ben Ider Jamel who turns out for Auxerre.
While Bonne and Mukanhairi toiled in central midfield, Pritchard Mpelele and David Moyo did not enjoy a clean and constant supply of the ball.
Perhaps the presence of talisman Kuda Mahachi could have made a lot of difference.
Pasuwa said he would ask for a training camp for the boys in December.
The Under-23 team is preparing for the 2015 African Championships set for the Democratic Republic of Congo, the All-Africa Games to be hosted by Congo Brazzaville and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Bonne shot Zimbabwe into the lead in the 18th minute as the home fans chanted “Ebola” each time the Zimbabweans appeared to gain an upper hand.
Online Reporter