HARARE - Zimbabwe football team coach Ian Gorowa says his team will take a cautious approach when they take on Tanzania in tomorrow’s 2015 African Nations Cup (Afcon) preliminary qualifier.
The Warriors flew out of the country yesterday afternoon abroad an Ethiopian Airways flight and spent the night in Addis Ababa before connecting to Dar es Salaam this morning.
The first leg against the Taifa Stars will take place at the National Stadium in Tanzanian capital tomorrow.
Gorowa is well aware that Tanzania will throw everything at the Warriors since they will be playing in front of their own fans.
The Warriors gaffer spent the better part of yesterday’s morning’s work-out before their departure trying to ensure his players sharpen their counterattacking skills.
Gorowa knows that for most parts of tomorrow’s game, the Warriors will have to defend deep and will have to depend on attacking on the break to get the desired result in Dar es Salaam.
“We have to see how the game progress, but generally the guys who were at Chan know exactly what we do in such kind of matches. We have also other players who came in and they have quickly gelled,” Gorowa said.
“It’s important that we do not concede away. They are playing at home and they will obviously come at us so it’s important that we repel their attacks and catch them on the break.”
Zimbabwe and Tanzania played out a goalless draw in an international friendly last year and Gorowa feels the Taifa Stars have not changed much since that meeting.
“They have two very quick wingers but their two centre backs are slow,” Gorowa said.
“We saw that when we played them the last time, so that’s basically what we are trying to work on, to hit them on counter attacks because of their slowness at the back.”
Zimbabwe’s preparations for this tie were dogged by injuries, with Dynamos utility player Sydney Linyama pulling out after sustaining an ankle injury while Ajax Cape Town striker Simba Sithole was also injured during the first day of training.
The Kaizer Chiefs pair Willard Katsande and Kingston Nkhatha also disrupted Gorowa’s plans after they pulled out of the squad on the 11th hour citing illness and injury.
Gorowa had to call in the in-form How Mine striker Kuda Musharu and Black Rhinos defender Wonder Kapinda to add depth to the squad.
But despite those disturbances and the careful approach, Gorowa still believes the players at his disposal have the capacity to pull through.
“I don’t want to talk about the players who are no here. It’s okay. We have got a game in our hands. It’s pointless for us to try and talk about something that we don’t have control over,” he said.
“I am happy with the players who are here; they have shown a lot of commitment. The guys who are not here, it’s something that we do want to dwell much on. We need to move on.
“We want to go there and win because if we just sit and allow them to come at us then we will be asking for trouble. These preliminary games are tougher than when we you make it through to the group stages.
“We need to be focused. We just need to be confident in everything that we do.”
The technical team travelled with 18 players after dropping Highlanders goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya from the squad.
Squad: Washington Arubi, George Chigova, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Eric Chipeta, Partson Jaure, Wonder Kapinda, Milton Ncube, Ronald Pfumbidzayi, Danny Phiri, Pasca Manhanga, Stephen Alimenda, Peter Moyo, Marshall Mudewe, Talent Chawapihwa, Kuda Mahachi, Tendai Ndoro, Cuthbert Malajila, Kuda Musharu.