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From Petros Kausiyo in CAPE TOWN, South Africa
DESPITE bracing for another blood and thunder African Nations Championships showdown with Mali, Warriors assistant coach Callisto Pasuwa has revealed that they will not change their style of play to try and match the physically stronger West Africans.
Zimbabwe will face Mali in the second quarter-final encounter of the 2014 CHAN tournament at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday night, seeking to upstage the Eagles and maintain their fine run that has promised so much in this edition of the competition that is reserved for players playing in their national leagues.
Pasuwa yesterday said although they were anticipating another tough and bruising night against the Malians, they would not change the way they have been playing at this tournament.
The Warriors number two man said his charges had come face-to-face with the brutality of a physical game after their match against the Stallions which left eight of his players badly bruised and seeking medical attention ahead of Zimbabwe’s clash with Mali.
“I think the game against Morocco was very physical but Burkina Faso were coming harder at us in the tackles and it is something we should also expect against Mali.
“But we will not abandon our style of building from the back and going forward with passes. We cannot afford to play the long ball because of our (small) stature,’’ Pasuwa said.
Pasuwa said the Warriors needed to continue playing a quick passing game rather than attempt the long ball which they tried without much joy during parts of their match against Burkina Faso.
“There were times during the match against Burkina Faso when we tried to send the long ball to the strikers but it did not work for us and we realised that it’s not our game.
“Now that we are in the quarter-finals, it is tougher and it is a tricky stage and we should avoid making mistakes because there will be no second chance.
“This is a knockout stage and if you make mistakes you will get punished.’’
The Dynamos coach said although the Malians were big and physical, they were also quick in their game and warned the Warriors to be on high alert when they take on the West Africans.
Pasuwa just like his boss Ian Gorowa, however, exuded confidence that the Warriors would overcome the Eagles hurdle and book their place in the semi-finals which have been set for Free State Stadium on January 29.
“Mali are very quick on the break and perfect in passing. We need to be alert and quick enough to close them down, they are not a team to be given space but we are ready for them and as a technical team we will study more footage of their games as much as we can so that we can plan for them accordingly.’’
Despite the Warriors having come so close to topping their group and setting up a date with Nigeria, Pasuwa said they were not so concerned about the identity of their opponents in the knockout phase of this tournament.
“We have never thought about choosing who to face or preferring any team over another. At first we were just concerned about qualifying from the group and now we are focused on just progressing.’’
The Warriors, Pasuwa said, had seen their confidence levels further boosted by their hard-fought win over the Stallions.
“Like the coach has been saying every day, we came here with the mind to go all the way to the final. We have been preaching a winning mentality to the players, unfortunately we drew our first two games because of our problems in attack where we missed several chances.
“But at the stage where we are now, we have to grab every chance that comes our way even half chances will be fewer and many teams will be protecting their goals so you cannot afford to lose those opportunities that you get.
“In fact, if there is one game that we need stay focused and keep our shape throughout, then it is this game because unlike in the Burkina Faso match where at times we ran everywhere in search of goals, this time we need to keep it tight through and through,’’ Pasuwa said.
Pasuwa’s sentiments also seemed to suggest that the Warriors coaches are not likely to take the kind of gamble they took against the Stallions and start with an all out attacking side in which they had five attack-minded players — Masimba Mambare, Kuda Mahachi, Peter Moyo, Charles Sibanda and How Mine’s Simba Sithole — leading the forward line.
Zimbabwe’s frantic search for goals occasionally left hard working anchorman Danny Phiri, one of the unsung heroes of this CHAN campaign, badly exposed, especially in the second half when Stallions coach Brama Traore introduced midfielder Oumarou Nebie for Eric Traore in the 50th minute with the ASFA Yennenga man combining well with EFO’s Winkome Zoungrana.
But to their credit, the Warriors absorbed everything that the Stallions threw at them and never sat back to try and defend Mambare’s 56th minute winner that sealed Zimbabwe’s qualification and Burkina Faso’s elimination.
The Warriors, who had three weeks of intensive training back home before they flew out for the CHAN tournament, have also charmed their assistant coach with the way they have quickly adapted to Gorowa’s style.
“If you hear the way some of the seasoned coaches who are here that have been praising our team for being intact, you can see that these players are fast learners.
“After three weeks of hard work, they have gelled into a team and apart from the problems of goals, they have done commendably well and they have been playing with passion and commitment so much that others have been thinking that they have been together for a much longer period.”
The Warriors, who had a rest yesterday, will resume business today with their coaches hoping for a better health bill after goalkeeper George Chigova, wingback Milton Ncube, centreback Eric Chipeta, midfielder Peter Moyo and the striking trio of Simba Sithole (Dynamos), Simba Sithole (How Mine) and Charles Sibanda left Athlone with knee, ankle and head injuries.
Online Reporter