Zimpapers Logo

cards at the All-Africa Games.
The senior national soccer team failed to progress beyond the group stages after managing a single point in three matches at the Games in Maputo.
Zimbabwe were embarrassed in the opening match by a South Africa development side, losing 4-1, before falling to Ghana 2-1.

On Sunday they drew 2-2 with Tanzania in the final group stage match to anchor Group B with one point with Tanzania on two points.
Ghana finished top of the group with seven points and progressed to the semi-finals together with South Africa who finished with five points.
However, it is the manner in which the Cosafa champions, who had a two-week training camp in Germany before the Games, faltered where it mattered most that was the talking point.
Inline Academy coach Shadreck Mlauzi said the national team coaches should identify more players so that there is no one guaranteed of a permanent place in the national team.

“For Cosafa we were at home so we were bound to do well counting on the 12th man, the supporters.
“And only two countries tested us at the Cosafa and we met the teams again in Mozambique.
“I saw the goals we conceded against South Africa where Onai Chingawo, who is a seasoned goalkeeper, conceded very soft goals.
“I worked with her at the Under-20 Cosafa Championships, she has a weakness when it comes to cutting crosses and it hasn’t changed and the goalkeeper’s coach has to work with her in that area.

“There is also need to beef up the squad. There are quite a number of defenders playing in the league and could have been used in some of the matches.
“And now that the coaches no longer have pressure from national team assignments they should attend league matches and get players on merit. There is competitive football being played in the new league and there are good players out there,” said Mlauzi.
The Inline gaffer also felt that the technical department might have gone into the opening match unprepared.

“When playing the first match at a tournament you know you have to win that match and somewhere, somehow, the technical department wasn’t prepared for that game.
“It is a good department, Rose Mugadza is a former player and one of the best qualified coaches.
“But they didn’t see the importance of that game and the approach was rather poor,” said Mlauzi.
Mlauzi said the Mighty Warriors might also have turned complacent.
“The players could have gone into comfort zone believing they now have their positions but the technical team should see to it that there is stiff competition for places and in the future assignments try to come up with a very competitive squad,” said Mlauzi.

Black Rhinos coach Thomas Chinyan’anya said it was inevitable that the Mighty Warriors would perform badly because of the squad they had in Maputo.
“Yes the Mighty Warriors had achieved good results in the Cosafa Championships but they celebrated for long and left good players behind.
“Even the league coaches here knew the team would fare badly in Maputo because they chose to stick with the players who gave them success yet they could have made meaningful additions to that pool.

“Even the technical director was supposed to consult and assess some of the players doing well in the league.
“The criteria they used to choose the players for the All-Africa Games cost us. How can a team lose 4-1 to a South African reserve side?

“National team coaches should feel free to engage club coaches on players.
“For instance Black Rhinos defensive midfielder Talent Mandaza played in central defence against South Africa yet there are very good centre backs at the clubs who could have gone to play in that position.

“I have played her (Talent) in the central defence at our club and have observed her weaknesses and know her strengths when playing defensive midfield. But now you have a national team coach playing that player in central defence at a big tournament like the All-Africa Games, honestly, where is the game plan and logic?
“We can achieve better results if there is unity and transparency amongst the coaches.

“At our games I have never seen the Mighty Warriors coach and the only person who has watched our games is Pagels (Zifa technical expert),” said Chinyan’anya.
Mighty Warriors coach Mugadza fielded Mandaza in the centre back as replacement to regular Nobuhle Majika who was suspended in the first match after accumulating yellow cards in the qualifiers.

Flame Lily Queens coach Arthur Gorejena said the team might have under-estimated their opponents.
“The Mighty Warriors had the best preparations a national team would get but lost by a big margin to South Africa’s B side.

“Probably they were too confident that they had beaten South Africa and Tanzania before but they should have known it was a group of death because Ghana is a powerhouse.
“The Mighty Warriors have been playing together and have been compact and know that they now have permanent places and may have relaxed. A player from any club be it in Masvingo or any small club should break into the senior team if they are playing well and not that only players from big clubs should play in the national team.

“The coaches have been assessing players in Mozambique and should clearly evaluate the performance and see the areas which need to boosted by the players who remained here,” said Gorejena.
Mufakose Queens gaffer Langton Giwa said the Mighty Warriors didn’t do well in Maputo but the youthful squad remain a team for the future.
“In football if you relax it will affect your performance. Maybe their performance was also affected by weather. We have seen the potential in the team and there is future and it has to be kept like that.

“At the Youth Games in Gwanda we also identified talent and at the league matches there are some players who have been really playing well, so there is need to introduce them and create healthy competition with the current squad,” said Giwa.