Assistant coach Charles Haalubono is set to ring the changes when Zambia face Zimbabwe in the third and fourth playoff at the HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Women’s Championship tomorrow at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium.
After the Copper Queens fell short against Namibia in yesterday’s semi-finals, missing out on the final, Haalubono says he will freshen up the starting XI and adjust the tactical approach against the Mighty Warriors.
The Green Buffaloes Women’s FC gaffer said the tight turnaround between matches has forced the technical bench to rethink their plan.
Haalubono said due to the lack of adequate rest, the technical bench will not risk playing fatigued players for long periods and will instead opt for rotation.
The coach explained that while the playoff is important, the technical bench has a responsibility to protect the squad from unnecessary injuries ahead of WAFCON which also is a World Cup Qualification tournament.
“It’s a very important match for us but we must be mindful of the load of players. Load management is key. We are going for a major tournament again. We cannot burn out all our key players,” said Haalubono.
He added that the game against Zimbabwe will give new faces a chance to step up as part of managing the workload of regular starters.
“We are also considering the minutes played. It’s key for us. We have got a bigger challenge ahead of us which is WAFCON and it’s a World Cup qualification competition. So we’ll try to manage the load of players in order to avoid injuries,” said Haalubono.
“If we keep the same players playing in order for us to get the result at the expense of these other upcoming players, it will be a disadvantage to us because a tired player who has got fatigue or who is mentally tired is at risk of getting injured.”
Haalubono is expecting another tough battle against Zimbabwe, predicting they could press high just like they did in the group stage.
“I think they will have the same approach like they did in the group stage. They high-pressed us. We have a solution for that.”
However, the assistant coach is confident Zambia will be more clinical in front of goal this time around.
Meanwhile, striker Regina Chanda says the Copper Queens are bracing for a difficult encounter especially with this being their second meeting with Zimbabwe at the tournament.
Chanda has declared the playoff a must-win fixture as Zambia push to return home with bronze.
“Tomorrow’s game; a very tough game because we are meeting them again in the third and fourth playoffs. So we need to look for another tactical move. Unfortunately they watched us. I think they know what we are capable of doing. It’s a must win,” Chanda said.
She added that the semi-final loss to Namibia has not dented the team’s morale and will not disrupt preparations for WAFCON.
Zambia play Zimbabwe tomorrow at 12h00 at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa.
By FAZ Media
