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Dynamos’ Kalisto mourns

Sport
DYNAMOS coach Kalisto Pasuwa lamented the team’s failure to defend from set pieces following his side’s 3-0 loss in the first round of the Caf Champions league to Tunisian side CA Bizertin at Stade 15 Octobre on Sunday.

DYNAMOS coach Kalisto Pasuwa lamented the team’s failure to defend from set pieces following his side’s 3-0 loss in the first round of the Caf Champions league to Tunisian side CA Bizertin at Stade 15 Octobre on Sunday.

ALBERT MARUFU INBIZERTE, TUNISIA

The Harare giants fell to second-half goals from Ali Machani, Harran Ahmed and Jaziri Fakherddine and are facing an early exit unless something dramatic happens in the second leg in two weeks’ time.

Pasuwa, who watched as his team conceded three goals from restarts said it is unfortunate that they had spent the whole week practicing defending restarts, but failed to defend in the real match.

“We just lacked concentration and that is how we lost the match. Their goals came from two corner kicks and a penalty and I think it is something that we could have avoided had we concentrated. We were defending too deep giving these guys too much respect and stayed in our own half for a long time. This is something we have to continue working on,” Pasuwa said.

Pasuwa added that the team’s lack of depth led to their demise as he was forced to make do with injured players such as Tawanda Muparati (finger) who came from the bench in the second half for Murape Murape and Devon Chafa (groin).

“Like I have been saying in the past, we do not have depth. I have only 20 players to choose from, but I have to work with what I have. In these situations I am forced to use even injured players and that is unfortunate,” he said.

What is even more worrying for Dynamos is their failure to win away from home in the last three matches in North Africa. They have conceded 12 goals and scored none and Pasuwa urgently needs to work on that.

Africa is different. Beating Highlanders 4-0 at Rufaro Stadium is no yardstick for a better performance in Africa. Pasuwa seems not to have taken the 2-0 loss to Lesotho Correctional Services in the preliminary round seriously.

And from the Sunday match, it is clear Pasuwa lost the plot when the second half started. Whatever it is that he told his players at half time did not work and instead of making positional changes during the game, he stuck to the same formation.

Dynamos were clearly sold a dummy and bought the story of a Birzetin side panicking and confused after they had appointed a new coach just four days before the game. Even the Tunisian media seemed to present that point of view and Dynamos were thrown off course.

And on match day, Dynamos found a different team that changed tactics in the second half when they found no way through their defence in the opening half. Pasuwa, though still believes they can overturn the deficit.

“We are still in the competition. They scored three goals at home and that is what we should also aim for. This means that we have to attack. They are not that good, but we gave them unnecessary respect. We must concentrate,” he said.

Bizertin coach Mondher Kbayer, however, said then tussle was still open.

“We should not sit on our laurels as there is still one game to play. Dynamos have a good goalkeeper and a good defender,” he said.

Dynamos started the match on the back foot but managed to hold the home team for the entire 45 minutes of the first half. With Muparati on the bench for the better part of the match, Dynamos never tested CA Bizertin goalkeeper Ben Farouk at all.

However, even his introduction for Murape in the 55th minute made no change at all as Dynamos preferred playing deep inside their own half. Unfortunately they were to concede from the spot after Chafa, a passenger throughout the match, handled in the box.

With the usually reliable Thomas Magorimbo struggling with his game, Chafa and Steven Alimenda allowing CA Bizertin playmaker Youssoupha M’bengue to dominate them, Pasuwa’s charges again fell further in the 73rd minute through Jaziri who tapped in a Harran corner kick.

Listen to an interview from football supporters