The Sunday News
Ishemunyoro Chingwere
Zimbabwe …………………………………………. (0) 1
Zambia …………………………………………………… 0
WARRIORS coach Kallisto Pasuwa has suggested that George Mbwando missed the point when he rushed to the media with his offer for help.
Pasuwa was speaking after watching the local ensemble of the Warriors dismiss Zambia in a friendly international at the National Sports Stadium thanks to a Teenage Hadebe second half goal.
Mbwando torched a storm when he poured his heart out in our sister paper, The Herald saying he wanted to help the Warriors’ Afcon 2017 cause by spying on opposition players plying their trade in Europe but his efforts were hitting a snag as he was failing to reach Pasuwa.
But contrary to the impression created by Mbwando, Pasuwa said he is open to advice from anyone provided it comes through the right channel adding he is what he is today because of the help he has gotten from fellow coaches and different many other people.
“If anybody wants to help please direct them to me, they are very welcome,” Pasuwa said after the match.
“Whether it’s fellow coaches or ordinary fans but surely I can’t get advice from fellow coaches through the media. It’s not true to say that I don’t want help, if anything I am what I am today because of the help that I have gotten from fellow coaches and several other people. Even during my time at Dynamos I would always get advice from others and this has really helped me a lot,” said Pasuwa.
The Warriors were using yesterday’s friendly to gauge local based players’ preparedness for international football as they prepare for the 2017 Afcon finals where they are in the group of death together with African football giants Algeria, Senegal and Tunisia.
The former Dynamos coach said he also takes time to watch his opponents’ players in action for their European clubs but noted this makes very little help as the systems they play for their clubs are different from the way they play for their countries.
“We watch their players play in Europe but that is not enough, the most important thing is to watch them playing for their national teams and get to understand the systems they use which is usually different from the way they do at their clubs. My hope is we will be able to send someone from the technical team to watch Senegal when they play South Africa next weekend,” said Pasuwa.
Pasuwa was also happy with what he saw from his men as they dominated the match before a paltry but appreciative crowd.
Triangle winger Malvern Gaki was the toast of the afternoon with his ball artistry that kept the Zambians on the back foot endearing him well with the crowd.
The Caps United duo of captain of the day, Hardlife Zvirekwi and Ronald Pfumbidzai also gave a good account of themselves with their brilliant overlapping runs which saw the Warriors engineering most of their attacks from the flanks. It was no coincidence that the goal that made the difference came from the flanks with Teenage Hadebe heading home a Zvirekwi free kick five minutes before the hour mark. The central defence of goal scorer Hadebe and Lawrence Mhlanga also did well covering for goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva who had very little to do before making way for Bernard Donovan in the 76th minute.
“Everybody who played today did well and has a chance of making the final Afcon squad, but we will sit down with the technical team and assess the match before making decisions,” said Pasuwa.
