The coach reiterated that there are many positives despite his team suffering a 3-2 loss to Mozambique in a 2026 World Cup qualifying opener at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium. It was Da Rosa’s first assignment as Zebras coach after he replaced Mogomotsi ‘Teenage’ Mpote who was sacked three weeks ago for poor results.
The match against the Mambas offered a glimpse of what to expect from da Rosa whose mandate is to take the team to the 2026 World Cup. The Zebras have never qualified for the World Cup before. “I saw many positives in today’s match. The team created many opportunities.
We had seven or eight opportunities to score but we were just not clinical, which is something that we need to work on. We really have to take our chances,” the Frenchman said in a post-match interview. Da Rosa said the Zebras made a lot of defensive mistakes that must be rectified ahead of another crucial World Cup qualifier against Guinea billed for Tuesday in Francistown. “To win matches, it is very important to correct our defensive mistakes. I have an idea in terms of how we can deal with our mistakes,” he said.
Da Rosa also pointed out that the match gave him a very good impression of who should form the core of his team and the overall attitude of the players. “What really impressed me is that the players are able to fight. They play with pride and passion but they must be tough. We also have to be compact at all times,” he said. In some instances, the Zebras players looked isolated something that left the team vulnerable. Despite the loss, da Rosa endeared himself to the supporters who attended the match.
He received credit from a sizeable number who felt that the team played neat football and created notable scoring opportunities than before. In recent months, the Zebras have been accused of displaying woeful performances at home and creating fewer scoring opportunities.
The team had also developed a penchant of not scoring more than one goal in a match. Their undoing yesterday was giving away three soft goals as acknowledged by the coach. Mozambique’s goals were scored by Bauque Clesio, Stanley Ratifo and Muiomo Jonathan. Molaodi Tlhalefang and Mogakolodi Ngele scored for the Zebras although the latter missed a penalty that could have at least helped the Zebras to secure a draw.
