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Senior Sports Reporter
THE Lesotho technical bench believes the Warriors were vulnerable on the defensive wings despite their 3-1 African Nations Championship (Chan) qualifier first leg win at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday. Zimbabwe’s goals came from a Rodrick Mutuma brace and a 30-metre scorcher by skipper Danny “Deco” Phiri, while the Likuena (Crocodiles) got their face saver through Sepo Suturumawe.
Likuena coach Seephephe Matete told the media in his post match interview that they will take advantage of Zimbabwe’s fragility on the two wings where Blessing Moyo and Ocean Mushure operated from in the return leg in Maseru on Saturday. “Zimbabwe has a very good central defence, compact midfield and a good strikeforce but we felt they were a bit vulnerable on the wings and we’re going to try and capitalise on that in the return leg,” said Matete.
Teenage Hadebe and Stephen Makatuka held fort in central defence for the Warriors, with skipper Phiri playing just in front of the pair, while Bruce Kangwa and Marshall Mudehwe operated from the wings upfront. Tafadzwa Kutinyu was the linkman with Knox Mutizwa playing as a silent striker just behind the two goals hero Mutuma.
Moyo and Mushure were excellent in their defensive roles and even when overlapping, but Zimbabwe were found wanting whenever they lost possession. Despite being deadly when in possession of the ball, Mudehwe did Moyo a lot of disservice as he didn’t drop deep enough with his opponent, leaving Moyo facing two Lesotho players each time the visitors were on the attack.
Zimbabwe took long to settle partly because Kutinyu, who was supposed to engineer their moves after being given the playmaker’s role, was a bundle of nerves the entire first half. He was pulled out for Tichaona Chipunza on the stroke of the hour.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu