Warriors draw

Harare Bureau
Zimbabwe ……………………………….….. (0) 1
Mauritius ………………………………….… (0) 1NEWLY appointed Warriors coach Ian Gorowa’s first home match in charge of the team fizzled into a draw against lightweights Mauritius in an African Nations Championship qualifier but the former Black Rhinos striker said he is now bracing himself for the next assignment against Zambia at Rufaro on Sunday.

Gorowa had taken off well in his first game that was an away assignment, as his troops beat the islanders 3-0 in Curepipe but was left a little disappointed yesterday after they failed to utilise their home advantage.

Despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Club M, Zimbabwe have progressed to the last qualifying round of the African Nations Championships where they will play Zambia in Harare this weekend.

Zambia booked their place into this stage after dismissing Botswana 2-0 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Saturday after the two sides had drawn 1-1 at Molepolole Sports Complex in Botswana last weekend.

A former Warriors striker, Gorowa had hoped to notch his second win in as many games and appeared on course when Masimba Mambare gave the Warriors the lead in the 85th minute.

Skipper Mambare, who blew hot and cold during the match, got to the end of a delivery from Tawanda Muparati following some good work on the left by Ali Sadiki.

FC Platinum winger Sadiki had beaten Winny Calambe and Chandravah Veeranah before whipping a cross that found Muparati who then laid for Mambare, wide on the right, to take a low shot that beat Mauritian goalkeeper Jose Ivahn Marse.

After the goal, the Warriors who played in fits and starts during the whole afternoon, appeared to have got into the groove and even the fans got a little value for their money as the Zimbabwe created scoring chances.

For all their industry after taking the lead, Zimbabwe failed to beat the visitors defence that had Denis Dookee who became a favourite of the home fans.

Zimbabwe were then caught off guard when Stephane Pierre curved open the right wing before crossing a highball that Calambe headed into the far end of the post past goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube in the 89th minute.

The late goal by the islanders took some gloss off Gorowa’s first game at home but the coach said he will put that behind as he braces for the coming edition of the Battle for the Zambezi.

Gorowa watched last month as Zimbabwe lost the Cosafa Castle Cup final 2-0 to Zambia and be believes they have to get a positive result at home before the reverse fixture of the Chan match.

“It was a good experience to begin with, but I am a bit disappointed that we did not win the game. We wanted to win this game for the crowd at home but unfortunately it wasn’t to be. From my side as a coach I am happy with the performance but I am disappointed by the result,” he said.

There was little that an outdrawn Dube, who was barely tested during the game, could do as Calambe took his goal.
“The players were trying to push forward and we were hit on the counter.

“Probably it was an element of concentration because they thought the game was done and in the end Mauritius scored the goal.
“Before the game we had told the players that we did not want to concede any goals because we had to try and play with a clean sheet. I told them that sometimes they find tougher opposition and if they concede goals it might become a habit.

“We should try and make sure that in every game we play we do not concede a goal, especially at international level.
“It was naïve for the players (to concede the goal). Maybe they should have done better in defending the goal,” said Gorowa.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns coach said he will have some homework to do on his team before they engage Zambia after noticing some loopholes in the game against Mauritius. Zimbabwe wasted numerous chances with Nelson Maziwisa wasting more than three chances.

“We have to change the mindset. There is something that we picked up especially in the last third I think we need to do something about it.
“We created a lot of chances but we failed to score. The fact is that we have gone through but it’s a huge disappointment that we were playing in front of our home crowd and could not win the game.

We ended up playing a draw. I think we played a much better game against Mauritius in Mauritius where we could have scored six or seven goals.
“But playing at home brings a little pressure on the boys. So I thinks it an advantage if we play the first leg at home (against Zambia),” said Gorowa.

While his predecessor Klaus Dieter Pagels chose to call his brand of football tiki-taka, Gorowa said he does not have a name for his type of play that thrives on using the attacking wings.

“I do not know what is tiki-taka. All we are trying to do is to play a brand of football in which we try to ulitise our width.
“Every time we go forward, we try to go to the sides and put crosses. I think that’s  the way football should be played,” said Gorowa.

While Gorowa had mixed feeling over the match, the Mauritians who, are ranked 182 in the world and 47th in Africa out of 52 Confederation of African Football Members were happy with the result.

Mauritius’ team manager Reuben Ballen said they had put up a much improved performance than in the first leg.
“Some of our players are not full time footballers as they are employed elsewhere.

“Our football league is semi-professional and is therefore not of very high standard.
“We came here expecting a positive result and we got it. It was good to get a 1-1 draw away from home.

“In the home match it was raining and the weather was therefore not conducive for a good game,” said Ballen.

Teams
Zimbabwe: T. Dube, M. Mambare, E. Chipeta, N. Mazisiwa, D. Chafa, B. Chimwamuchere, C. Sibanda (T. Muparati 46th min), M. Ncube (T. Ndoro 60th min), P. Moyo (A. Sadiki 75th min), P. Jaure, H. Zvirekwi.
Mauritius: Jose Marse, Collin Bell (capt), Chiffone Guiyano, (A. Coco 71st min) Hendrick Buckland (Denis Dookee 46th min), Frabrice Pithia (A. Patate 46th min), Chandravah Veeranah, Cedrel Permal, Joye Estazi, Stephanie Pierre, Christhophe Bazerque, Winny Calambe.