We need to learn from past mistakes says Logarusic

Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE senior national football team coach, Zdravko Logarusic has spoken of the need to learn from past mistakes if the Warriors are to make it past the group stage at next year’s Africa Cup Nations in Cameroon.

Speaking in reaction to the draw conducted on Tuesday, which saw Zimbabwe drawn in the same group with Senegal, Malawi and Guinea, Logarusic said taking lessons from past blunders meant there has to be a focus on football.

“We have to learn from our mistakes we made before, especially in the last Afcon tournament. That means we need to just focus on the football, we need to be prepared properly, we need to finish things much earlier then preparation will start for Afcon tournament.

“That means when we come out there, we shouldn’t have any issues, we should just be focused on football,’’ Logarusic said.

At the 2019 Afcon held in Egypt, there was upheaval in the Warriors camp with players complaining about money. Zimbabwe finished at the bottom of their group with two losses and a draw. Having lost 1-0 against Egypt in their opening match, Zimbabwe drew 1-1 with Uganda and stood a chance of making it to the next round but got drubbed 4-0 by the Democratic Republic of Congo in their last pool match to finish bottom of the pile.

Logarusic challenged what has been described as the country’s golden generation of players to show their weight in gold. Knowledge Musona, Khama Billiat, Marvelous Nakamba, Tinotenda Kadewere and Marshal are part of the players classified as the country’s golden generation.

“All the time we are saying we have golden generation but its time now to for golden generation now to show the gold”.

The Croatian is confident that the Warriors will do much better this time around and get past the group stage.

“I am sure we will do something better than most of the people are expecting. I want us to pass group stage, I want to make our football lovers happy and I want us to produce results we have never produced before,’’ Logarusic said.

On those who believe that the Warriors have been drawn in an easy group, Logarusic pointed out that it cannot be stroll in the park for Zimbabwe because all the 24 countries at Afcon are there on a mission.

“So many people they were saying it’s an easy group, I think they are wrong because all those 24 countries which came to the Africa Cup of Nations also have the same goal, for sure they have quality, for sure there is a reason why they are in Afcon,’’ he said.

According to the draw conducted on Tuesday, Zimbabwe face 2019 Afcon runners up Senegal in their opening fixture on 10 January at Kouekong Stadium Bafoussam. Their second fixture is against Malawi on 14 January at the same venue before they round off their group matches against Guinea on 18 January at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaoundé.

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