The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
Harare City……… (0) 1
Zanaco ……………..(1) 2
TAURAI MANGWIRO admitted that he learnt the hard way after watching his Harare City outfit being humbled by a polished Zanaco in a Caf Confederations Cup first round, first leg tie at Rufaro yesterday.
City, who have now conceded four goals at home in their maiden Caf Confederations Cup appearance, have a mountain to climb in the second leg in Zambia in two weeks time.
The Sunshine Boys were one nil down by the 17th minute when an unmarked Aubrey Funga headed home a perfect cross from the left by the marauding Charles Zulu who was recently named in the Chipolopolo provisional squad to face Congo Brazzaville in back to back 2017 AFCON qualifiers over the Easter Holiday.
It got worse in the 84th minute when Rodrick Kabwe’s beautiful free kick had so much precision that it confused City keeper Maxwell Nyamupanedengu, sailing into the top left corner.
City’s defence was caught in sixes and sevens on numerous occasions while the creative duo of Ronald Chitiyo and Raphael Manuvire did not come to the party.
Highly rated striker Kudakwashe Kumwala was an embarrassment.
Kumwala was hauled off seven minutes after restart, paving way for a more effective Honey Chimutimunzeve who later on set up another substitute Tanaka Ruzvidzo for City’s consolation in the 89th minute.
“We are learning and this is only the first time we are playing in the Confederations Cup, and there are things we are learning that we will carry forward in the next assignments.
“We didn’t do much in terms of taking the game to Zanaco, we were not as creative as we would have wanted,” said a dejected Mangwiro after the match.
Zanaco had four Chipolopolo players in the starting lineup namely goalkeeper Racha Kola, centre back George Chilufya, attacking linkman Salulani Phiri and Zulu.
Veteran forward Isaac Chansa, the former Orlando Pirates player who scored the solitary goal against the Warriors at the CHAN finals in January came on as a second half substitute.
Although Mangwiro reckoned Zanaco were superior tactically and experience wise, the Harare City gaffer remains defiant and still believes that the Sunshine Boys can pull off a shocker in Lusaka.
The return leg will be played on March 20.
“They are a very tactically sound team, very good technically, we will try and work on our shortcomings and hopefully we can pull out something in the second leg.
“I take a lot of courage from that goal we scored late, we might be down but we are not yet out. We were 1-0 down for the better of the match, I threw in attack minded players but at a time we were clawing back they scored the second.
“Such things do happen in football, I take heart from the fact they came here and scored two goals, so I believe we can also do the same in Lusaka,” he said.
Zanaco coach Mumamba Numba believes it is still game on despite his team carrying a healthy 2-1 lead into the second leg.
“I feel it wasn’t an easy game, we expect a very tough encounter in Zambia so we have to work hard for us to progress to the next round. We came here for a win and we knew the best way to defend was to attack. I am worried with the way we lost concentration in the last few minutes though.
“Like I said, I still think we haven’t yet secured our place in the second round, Harare City are no pushovers, they can cause us problems back in Lusaka,” said Numba who was here three weeks ago to spy on City when they played against AS Adema in the preliminary round.
Teams
Harare City: M. Nyamupangedengu, A. Chiveya (W. Manondo 46), E. Madhanaga, R. Uchena, R. Chitiyo, J. Jam, R. Manuvire (T. Ruzvidzo 86), M. Nyenye, K. Kumwala (H. Chimutimunzeve 52), T. Ndlovu, T. Samanja.
Zanaco: R. Kola, L. Ngoma (S. Sankala 76), F. Kapumbu, Z. Tembo, G. Chilufya, R. Kasonde, C. Zulu, F. Sakala (I Chansa 48), A. Funga, R. Kabwe, S Phiri (B. Musonda),
