MANICA Diamonds coach Jairosi Tapera thinks his team’s problems away from home have become psychological after the diamond miners gave away a one-goal lead to get a hammering at the hands of Simba Bhora at Wadzanayi Stadium on Saturday.
Red-hot winger Charles Teguru gave Manica Diamonds a deserved lead in the 21st minute, scoring in successive matches, but a Junior Makunike brace before the break turned the game on its head.
Further goals from Tinotenda Meke and Isaskar Gurirab early in the second half took the game away from Tapera’s men.
The Gem Boys are yet to win a game away from home in three attempts this term.
Apart from last weekends’ 4-1 hammering in Shamva, they lost 1-0 away at FC Platinum and were held 1-1 by Herentals in Harare.
In contrast, Manica Diamonds boasts a perfect home record at their favourite hunting ground Sakubva Stadium this season, where they beat Yadah, ZPC Kariba and Dynamos.
Their win over DeMbare a fortnight ago stretched their winning home streak to six straight.
Tapera’s men have lost just four matches in the last 32 played at home.
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Last season, they lost just twice in the 16 home league matches, the same number they had lost the previous season.
Speaking to NewsDay Sport, Tapera said he is deeply worried about his team’s away form, which is already threatening their chances of challenging for the title.
He could not understand why his team suddenly collapsed at Wadzanayi after dominating the early exchanges and taking a deserved lead.
When asked if there is a risk that their away form is becoming a psychological issue, Tapera responded: “Maybe, especially after what happened today (against Simba Bhora). In the first 20 minutes we were so much organised, we played excellently well.
“But when we started the second half, we just collapsed. They scored two identical goals, from crosses on the right. Those are mistakes that we can take home and sit down and say, what should we do?
“We have not lost as Manica Diamonds by more than two goals ever since we joined the club. This is our first heavy loss and it’s hard to take. We take it as a lesson as we go forward, we will sit down and reorganise ourselves.”
The former Warriors coach added: “We play better at home, maybe that’s because of the confidence that the players have. But like I said, the first 20 minutes, if we had carried that right through the match, we could probably have beaten Simba Bhora.
“But I don’t want to take anything away from these boys. It happens in soccer and there are so many things that happen in a game of football where you need to sit down and analyse to say, what went wrong? What should we do to improve as we move forward? But I’m very, very much sure that we’ll find the answer as we move forward.”
Manica Diamonds supporters would be happy knowing that their team’s next two matches are at home against TelOne on Sunday and Chicken Inn on matchday eight.
A trip to MWOS then follows, before hosting Kwekwe United, fixtures that on paper look winnable.
The title-chasing Mutare-based side currently sit on sixth position with 10 points, four behind log leaders MWOS after six rounds of matches.
Matchday seven fixtures
Saturday: GreenFuel v Zpc Kariba (GreenFuel Arena).
Sunday: Manica Diamonds v TelOne (Sakubva), Triangle v Yadah (Gibbo), Caps United v Bikita Minerals (Rufaro).
Monday: Chicken Inn v Simba Bhora (Luveve), Mwos v Dynamos (Ngoni), Kwekwe United v Herentals (Bata), Scottland v Fc Platinum (Rufaro), Ngezi Platinum Stars v Highlanders (Baobab).
