Joel Luphahla has backed TelOne to fight their way out of trouble despite beginning his tenure as head coach with a heavy 4-1 defeat to Chibuku Super Cup holders Dynamos at Rufaro Stadium.

Luphahla was handed the TelOne job last week after the club parted ways with Saul Chaminuka. The former coach admitted that returning to his former club was a difficult decision, but one he could not turn down.

“TelOne is my home. This is where I think I honed my skills as a coach,” Luphahla said after the match.

“When they came, I thought I was going to take a little bit of rest and go and see my dogs. But they came and said they wanted me, and it was difficult for me to say no because I thought that, with the boys that they have and with the little bit of input that we can provide, maybe we can be able to survive.”

Luphahla said his decision to return was also driven by a desire to prove that his previous achievements were not a fluke.

“It’s a difficult job to take, very difficult. Also, considering that last season I had a little bit of success, but now coming into the second season, it’s a little bit difficult,” he said.

“So I wanted to prove to myself that last season was not a fluke. That’s why I took the job.”

TelOne looked competitive in the opening half against a Dynamos side that had already suffered an early setback in the Munhumutapa Cup, where they were eliminated in the round of 32.

However, Dynamos produced a much stronger second-half display to complete a 4-1 victory and progress in the Chibuku Super Cup.

Luphahla was disappointed with the result but remained encouraged by what he saw from his players, particularly before the break.

“I’m disappointed for my players. I know that they’re also feeling dejected, but we had a good first half,” he said.

“They played with discipline and controlled the tempo of the game. But in the second half, I felt that maybe the energy levels dropped a little bit, and we ended up trying to play how Dynamos were playing.”

According to Luphahla, TelOne’s change in approach after the interval contributed to their downfall as they struggled to maintain the intensity they had shown in the first half.

“The moment we changed how we were playing, it meant that the energy output that we were using was too much,” he said.

The TelOne coach also raised concerns about the fitness levels within his squad, despite only eight league matches remaining.

“It’s unfortunate that it’s eight games to go and we’re still talking about the players not being fit. But you could see some of the boys that are carrying a little bit of weight,” Luphahla said.

He also acknowledged the challenge posed by a Dynamos side that is currently enjoying a strong run, particularly after making changes to their attack.

“Playing Dynamos, they’re on song at the present moment. And playing them at home, if you put handbrakes, it becomes a little bit of a challenge,” he said.

Dynamos coach Aristica Cioaba, meanwhile, praised his players for responding positively to his half-time instructions and producing a vastly improved performance after the interval.

Cioaba admitted that the first half had not gone according to plan, with Dynamos creating only a handful of chances.

“For me, the first 45 minutes were a big surprise from our players,” Cioaba said.

He said he challenged his players at the break to overcome their fears and return to the style of football they had been practising during the week.

“I go inside and I talk to the players: what are you afraid of? Let’s play our philosophy,” Cioaba said.

“If we lose, it’s no problem, but let’s play what we trained this week.”

The Dynamos coach was pleased with the response, saying his players followed their tactical instructions more effectively in the second half.

“The players went outside and listened to the tasks they needed to perform,” Cioaba said.

Cioaba also credited his substitutions for helping Dynamos change the complexion of the match.

“Also, I changed two players. They went inside and changed the game, and this is the good thing about our team for the future,” he said.