Zebras In Scrappy Win

TSHEPO MOLWANE
Staff Writer | Monday July 12, 2010 00:00

 

Phenyo Mongala's long-range strike in the 49th minute sealed the deal for the Zebras.

The Zebras are now perched at the top of the group with six points, followed by Togo with two points after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Malawi in Lome. Chad and Malawi have a point, with African powerhouse Tunisia bottom of the group without a point. 

Despite the win, the Zebras' performance left a sour taste in the mouth. The Zebras could hardly string five passes together with consistency to the disappointment of fans. Against Chad, the Zebras have to thank assistant referee Bootun Balkrishna who controversially ruled out Ezechiel N'douassel's goal for offside.

In the middle of the park, young Ofentse Nato was found wanting as he could hardly compete with the more physical opponents. While there is no doubt about Nato's potential, a more experienced player like Michael Mogaladi, Mogogi Gabonamong and Boitumelo Mafoko would do better in the holding position. Upfront, Jerome Ramatlhakwana's lack of fitness was clear and the technical committee could have moved swiftly to replace him.

The tactical acumen of head coach Stanley Tshosane once again came into question. Since Tshosane took over the reigns from Colwyn Rowe in August 2008, the Zebras still have to play enterprising football. Though the team has won so far, Tshosane and his assistants have to do something about the technical and tactical aspects. The team needs to be convincing and to play better. When the qualifiers get tough, one goal would  not be enough and the technical team has to address the scoring problem.

While the Zebras' chances of making their debut at the AFCON to be co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon seem bright at the moment, it is important to look at the broader picture. It will be suicidal if the nation is carried away by the two victories.

Former Zebras' stalwart, Gofhamodimo 'City' Senne told Sport Monitor that he would like to see the team improving especially in defence.

'I want to see our defenders confident on the ball and to stop kicking the ball upfront whenever they are in possession. We need to play the ball more because it will help us against physical sides like Chad,' he said. Senne advised the technical team to work on the strike-force because goals win games. He said that it was clear that the Zebras struggled upfront where Ramatlhakwana was found wanting the whole afternoon.

Zebras' goalkeeper Modiri Marumo said that despite registering the two wins against Tunisia and Chad, they are not under any pressure. The soft-spoken player pointed out that they need to maintain discipline in the coming games if they want to achieve their goal of making an impression in the qualifiers. 'The players seem to understand the coach better now and they are ready to work hard. Honestly, we enjoy playing away from home because there is less expectation when we are there,' added Marumo. All eyes will be on the Zebras when they take on Malawi in Blantyre on August 11 while Chad will welcome Tunisia in N'djamena.