Asayehegn, i agree with all what you said. I can not say it any better. It is tough to over run our African compatriot with speed and power, a feat they have so much in them. The only way our players dominate and out with the opponents is with the technical dexterity and sharpening the mental edge of the game. I have personal experience with playing in an another African country teams. When i was confronting them as a  defender they were passing me with shear speed and power at which i felt ashamed. I realized that our country players (defenders) should really prepare themselves for such encounters of high speed/power tempo. One other approach is close marking and not letting them have free run. Another approach is having compact defense zone and eliminating fee running space, which means packing your own field with defensive shape. What i understand is it takes gut to outwit opponents with technical sharpness and technical  skill and collective team work. However, this is some thing that is more productive and worth trying. The long ball is more of a tactical opportunistic move when the need arises and opportunity permits.