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Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
AFTER dominating the domestic Premiership in the last four years, Callisto Pasuwa faces a decisive moment in his fledgling coaching career in the jungles of international football when he seeks to guide the Warriors to a record fourth successive African Championships of Nations appearance.

His men face a cagey final qualifying first leg encounter against Lesotho at Barbourfields tomorrow.

Pasuwa ruled the roost in the Castle Lager Premiership, winning a record four successive championships with Dynamos between 2011 and 2014, before quitting the Glamour Boys and taking up a dual role as Warriors and national Under-23 coach.

In his maiden spell with the Young Warriors, he led them to the African Games in Congo Brazzaville but just fell short of on winning a ticket to the African Under-23 Championships, losing to rivals South Africa in the final qualifier for a place at the tournament scheduled for Senegal in December.

But tomorrow, Pasuwa faces his first real test as Warriors coach when his class of home-grown talent try to become the fourth group of players to qualify for the CHAN finals.

Veteran coach Sunday “Mhofu’’ Chidzambwa broke the ice at the inaugural tournament in Cote I’voire in 2009 before Madinda Ndlovu took charge of the side that went to Sudan two years later.

Last year it was the turn of Ian “Dibango’’ Gorowa to lead the Warriors and unlike his predecessors, the former Zimbabwe international guided Zimbabwe to a credible fourth place finish at the tournament in South Africa.

Pasuwa now gets his chance to earn his CHAN stripes with a two-legged journey that begins at Barbourfields tomorrow.

The 44-year-old coach yesterday said he was not looking at personal glory but just wanted the Warriors to be among the elite teams at the tournament in Rwanda and felt his charges owe it to the nation and to themselves.

Pasuwa said he was hopeful the Warriors would also unite the fragmented football family with a positive result that would set them on the path to CHAN qualification.

“Our football has been going through a lot of problems and maybe if we can win we will unite people and put smiles on their faces.

“It is important for us to be always competing at the CHAN tournament because we don’t play in many tournaments save maybe for the COSAFA, World Cup and Nations Cup.

“After the CHAN tournament in Cape Town last year a good number of our players got contracts with professional cubs and we would want this group to also follow suit.

“We also owe it to everyone who has been supporting the Warriors to qualify and in order to do that we have to build a good win at home against Lesotho and score as many goals as we can.

“We have people like PSL chief executive Kenny Ndebele and his team who have worked overtime to make our camp in Bulawayo smooth and that we have had to just focus on the game. Of course, there are issues to do with allowances and bonuses that still need to be ironed out but the players have tried to remain focused on their task,’’ Pasuwa said.

Pasuwa, however, revealed that his main worry going into tomorrow’s game was the mentality of his players, who he said he had repeatedly warned against being complacent.

“We have to treat Lesotho the same way we would treat Guinea, Nigeria or Egypt. They have been playing together for a long time and I must say they are not a bad side. Remember Lesotho Correctional Services gave Dynamos problems in the Champions League in Maseru and won 1-0 but fortunately we had won 3-0 at Rufaro.

“Lesotho Correctional Services also provide a number of players to the national team, so we need to get a good win here and then finish the job in Maseru next weekend. In fact, Lesotho play a quick game more like South Africa with short passes and their midfielders are good at retaining possession’’.

Pasuwa said the Warriors will have to play a pressing and more aggressive game to peg the Crocodiles back and the former Dynamos coach is confident his charges will get the result they are seeking. The coach was also hopeful his side would exhibit the “positive attacking game they played in a friendly against Tsholotsho at Barbourfields’’ which they won 2-0 via a goal each by Knox Mutizwa and Marshal Mudehwe.

Pasuwa would have to choose his attack from Premiership leading scorer Edmore Chirambadare and Mutizwa, Dynamos hitman Rodreck Mutuma and FC Platinum’s Brian Muzondiwa.

Indications though are that Mutuma’s big game temperament and experience will give him the nod to lead the attack while Mudehwe and Triangle’s Marlvin Gaki will play on the flanks.

Skipper Danny Phiri remains the most experienced player in the squad having featured at the last CHAN tournament in Cape Town and will form the first line of goalkeeper Donovan Bernard’s defensive shield.

Pasuwa said Dynamos right back Blessing Moyo and Highlanders’ Teenage Hadebe would have to pass late fitness tests after battling with foot and knee injuries during the week.

“I have also told the players that we need to constantly adapt to the demands of the game because against Tsholotsho I was not too happy with the last 30 minutes of the game where at times we struggled to break down their defence because they had put more men behind the ball,’’ Pasuwa said.