NEW Zimbabwe coach Ian Gorowa hopes his second African Nations Championship home match within eight days will be more successful than the first.
The ‘Warriors’ tackle Zambia in Harare this weekend in a second round, first leg fixture and the overall winners qualify for the 2014 tournament.
Zimbabwe secured a last-four place in the region-based qualifiers despite an embarrassing 1-1 draw with minnows Mauritius.
Having romped to a 3-0 win on the Indian Ocean island, Zimbabwe were expected to celebrate the home debut of former national team striker Gorowa with a big victory.
But it took them more than 80 minutes to score through captain Masimba Mambare and the visitors grabbed an equaliser just before fulltime.
“We must do better against Zambia to reach the finals,” admitted Gorowa, who took over when the contract of German Klaus-Dieter Pagels was not renewed.
“The pressure of playing at home got to us and now we face tougher rivals,” he said of a Zambian team seeking a second win over Zimbabwe inside three weeks.
Hosts Zambia overcame Zimbabwe
2-0 in the final of the regional Cosafa Cup during July with Alex N’gonga and Kabaso Chongo scoring direct from free-kicks.
“We want to use the wings and make crosses – I believe that is the way football should be played,” Rusape-born Gorowa, 41, stressed.
French coach Herve Renard took Zambia to third place four years ago in the maiden Championship and believes Evans Kangwa can be the catalyst for another finals appearance.
Substitute striker Kangwa scored the second goal in a 2-0 home win over Botswana that sealed a second-round place.
Mozambique have home advantage first in a clash with Angola that brings together the two Portuguese-speaking countries in southern Africa.
The overall winners advance to the January 11-February 1 finals in South Africa and the losers get a second chance in a playoff with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Congo Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Ghana, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria and Uganda have qualified and South Africa are automatic participants as hosts. — Sapa-AFP
Zim must step up gear for Zambia
The ‘Warriors’ tackle Zambia in Harare this weekend in a second round, first leg fixture and the overall winners qualify for the 2014 tournament.
Zimbabwe secured a last-four place in the region-based qualifiers despite an embarrassing 1-1 draw with minnows Mauritius.
Having romped to a 3-0 win on the Indian Ocean island, Zimbabwe were expected to celebrate the home debut of former national team striker Gorowa with a big victory.
But it took them more than 80 minutes to score through captain Masimba Mambare and the visitors grabbed an equaliser just before fulltime.
“We must do better against Zambia to reach the finals,” admitted Gorowa, who took over when the contract of German Klaus-Dieter Pagels was not renewed.
“The pressure of playing at home got to us and now we face tougher rivals,” he said of a Zambian team seeking a second win over Zimbabwe inside three weeks.
Hosts Zambia overcame Zimbabwe
2-0 in the final of the regional Cosafa Cup during July with Alex N’gonga and Kabaso Chongo scoring direct from free-kicks.
“We want to use the wings and make crosses – I believe that is the way football should be played,” Rusape-born Gorowa, 41, stressed.
French coach Herve Renard took Zambia to third place four years ago in the maiden Championship and believes Evans Kangwa can be the catalyst for another finals appearance.
Substitute striker Kangwa scored the second goal in a 2-0 home win over Botswana that sealed a second-round place.
Mozambique have home advantage first in a clash with Angola that brings together the two Portuguese-speaking countries in southern Africa.
The overall winners advance to the January 11-February 1 finals in South Africa and the losers get a second chance in a playoff with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Congo Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Ghana, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria and Uganda have qualified and South Africa are automatic participants as hosts. — Sapa-AFP
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