Cloud Fusire
HARARE City coach Taurai Mangwiro has admitted that lack of clean sheets is his main “disappointment” and has challenged his charges to improve starting with this afternoon’s match against Tenax at the National Sports Stadium.
Mangwiro inherited a fragile defence after his predecessor Lloyd Chitembwe, robbed him of highly-rated defensive midfielder Tatenda Tavengwa and experienced defender Marshal Machazane.
The former Triangle coach has been unable to sort that issue out so far, with the Sunshine Boys conceding seven goals in the seven matches he has presided over since he returned to the club in January.
City face Tenax, another team that have struggled defensively so far, and Mangwiro hopes they will be able to improve on their weaknesses while getting a positive result.
“But our biggest concern is the goals that we have conceded so far. We have leaked goals and I think we are not doing enough defensively,” Mangwiro told the Daily News yesterday.
“We need to improve on our defence and that’s what we have been focusing on in our training because I think we are not doing enough in that area.
“We are also demanding our strikers to do more because we have been getting a lot of good opportunities to score and I wouldn’t say we have done very well in terms of conversion. That’s another area we have been working on.”
Tenax are moving with a spring in their step following their last back-to-back wins over ZPC Kariba and CAPS United.
However, Mangwiro is not reading much into that.
“Tenax has done well lately and in this competition, you don’t want to take your opponent lightly. We will give them their due respect like any other opponent but not fear,” he said.
“We don’t want to read much into the form book. We will look into our game against them as our new challenge and we look forward to doing our best.”
Mangwiro is sweating over first choice goalkeeper Shongiwa, who took a knock in their last match.
“He is getting better but we chose not to risk him in training. He seems to be on the recovery path and we hope by the time we play he will be ready to save us,” said Mangwiro.
Today: Harare City v Tenax (National Sports)
Tomorrow: Herentals v Triangle (National Sports), Black Rhinos v ZPC Kariba (Sakubva), Ngezi Platinum Stars v Dynamos (Baobab), Bulawayo City v FC Platinum (Babourfields), Whawha v Chicken Inn (Ascot)
Sunday: Manica Diamonds v Bulawayo Chiefs (Sakubva), CAPS United v Yadah (National Sports), Highlanders v Cranborne Bullets (Barbourfields)