Zimbabwe: Seek Early Goals, Says Gwekwerere

Augustine Hwata

24 June 2011

CAPS United striker Evans Gwekwerere has challenged his team-mates to search for early goals and approach the BancABC Sup8r quarter-final tie against Highlanders with a positive mind at Baghdad on Sunday.

Gwekwerere showed glimpses of good form when he came off the bench in the Harare Derby against Dynamos at the National Sports Stadium last Sunday.

CAPS United fell to a sucker punch from a 10-man Dynamos when Tawanda Muparati scored a priceless goal, with just two minutes remaining, to earn the Glamour Boys a 1-0 win in the league match.

But with amended rules coming into play in the knockout tournament, Gwekwerere said they should not leave it until too late to try and get a goal.

According to the 2011 rules for the premier knock-out cup in Zimbabwe, the game will head for a straight penalty shoot-out after a stalemate at the end of 90 minutes.

In previous editions, the match would spill into extra-time.

“If the result at the end of the normal playing time is a draw, penalty kicks will be taken to determine the winner in accordance with the procedure described in the Laws of the Game,” reads Section 5 of the 2011 BancABC Sup8r amended rules and regulations.

CAPS have already lost 1-0 to Highlanders in the league but Gwekwerere is hopeful the Green Machine will reclaim their tag as the Cup Kings.

“Basically football is the same because the same rules of play apply. “But the difference comes in that for cup games we have to play and knock out the opponents so that we go to the next stage and hopefully lift the cup.

“It means we have to score goals to sail through,” said Gwekwerere.

The former Douglas Warriors and Dynamos striker pleaded with his team-mates to adopt a positive attitude ahead of the game.

Last year CAPS United lost the final to Dynamos and, by then, Gwekwerere had a blue heart.

“We have to be positive in our approach to the game.

“At least I am happy because there is no pressure from us from the fans but we still have to play well away from our usual home,” he said.

Gwekwerere said CAPS United have already put behind them their defeat against Dynamos.

“Football is like a boxing contest.

“Sometimes one is knocked down and fall but you have to stand up again. So we went down to Dynamos but we are definitely up again and not out,” said Gwekwerere.

He wants CAPS United to play as a team.

“We have to play as a team.

“There should not be pressure on me, as a striker, to look for goals because even a defender can also score.

“We just have to play as a team and complement each other.

“When we defend, we defend as a team and when we attack, we attack as a team,” he said.

Highlanders are also coming into the cup game with their heads down after a defeat to Hwange at Barbourfields on Sunday.

The other BancABC Sup8r quarter-final tie on tomorrow will feature Gunners and Shabanie Mine at Ascot.

AllAfrica – All the Time