WARRIORS coach Ian Gorowa maintained his impressive away record after beating neighbours South Africa 2-1 in an international friendly at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Tuesday night to reclaim the bragging rights of the Battle of Limpopo.
BRIAN NKIWANE IN JOHANNESBURG
Gorowa and his trusted assistants, Jairos Tapera, Mkhuphali Masuku, Richard Tswatswa and Kalisto Pasuwa, who did not travel with the team to South Africa due to club commitments, surprised many when they qualified for the Africa Championships (Chan) to be staged in South Africa next January.
The contingent of local-based players failed to utilise home advantage when they hosted Chipolopolo, but performed a Houdini act in the reverse fixture in Zambia where they beat their neighbours 1-0 through a Charles Sibanda strike.
Gorowa became the first coach to hand Zambia home defeat at their new hunting ground, Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
On Tuesday, Warriors striker Knowledge Musona opened his goal-scoring account in the 50th minute after getting to the end of a Denver Mukamba corner kick, before Cuthbert Malajila made it two after a pinpoint cross from hardworking Kingston Nkhatha in the 93rd minute.
They then went to sleep allowing Bafana Bafana to pull one back when Bernard Parker beat Washington Arubi in goals for the Warriors with a long-range shot that nestled in the far corner.
The friendly match saw a number of senior Warriors players making a dramatic return to the fold after having been overlooked by Dieter Klaus Pagels, who was succeded by Gorowa in July.
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Speaking after the match, Gorowa said he had been trying hard to make South Africa-based players gain match fitness and was impressed by the way the local-based contingent blended with foreign-based ones.
“Considering the limited time that we had in camp, they did extremely well.
“I knew very well that players like Musona and Khama Billiat are still to hit their form, but I had to talk to them first before the match to build confidence. It has been a tricky situation for Musona as a goal drought has been haunting him at his club. I told him that he had to play his normal game, not putting himself under any pressure, and he did just that. And he managed to get rid of the bad luck that has been following him. I am happy for him and Khama as a well as he managed to win the man-of-the-match award worth R10 000.”
Some of the players who made a comeback include Onismor Bhasera, who signed for Bidvest in South Africa recently, as well as Carlington Nyadombo, who had a good day in office together with Chicken Inn defender Felix Chindungwe in the heart of defence.
Acting team manager Patrick Mutesva commended the South African Football Association for the manner they handled logistical arrangements for the friendly match.
