CITY TRIO FOR CITY

Curtworth Masango

THREE City Academy Under-13 players – Donnel Anashe Chitima, Elvis Chayanzika and Bright Marovanidze – left for trials at Manchester City on Sunday night.

The trio was accompanied by coach Agripa Guti.

They are set to undergo their first set of trials in Dubai for a week and then head to England where they will spend another week before returning home.

Guti said his boys were ready to impress, as they have been preparing for these trials since August.

“Our boys are ready to go and impress since they have been doing preparations since August under ZIFA qualified coaches and fitness trainers as well as dieticians and sports psychologists,” he said.

Guti believes such opportunities for juniors are key and instrumental in shaping Zimbabwean football on the international stage.

“This is beneficial for our academy staff and players, together with our country at large,” he said.

“This will put our country on the global football map despite our current suspension at international level.

“This will motivate other junior football academies to raise their standards as competition brings quality which will benefit our national teams.

“This will also help to erase all the negativity about our country’s football development.

“Efforts are being put to drive football development in the country and in fighting drug and substance abuse among the youths,” he said.

City Academy have been developing at a rapid pace since their establishment in 2019.