Five Bulawayo boys in Under-14 national team

The squad was selected after the Zimbabwe Junior Football Association’s tournament held in Harare on Saturday.
All the country’s 10 provinces participated at the competition that Harare won after beating Bulawayo 1-0 in the final.
Mpopoma High School duo of goalkeeper Reward Muza and anchorman Denzel Khumalo, Lesley Lunga of Mzilikazi, Milton’s Mthabisi Tshuma and Davin Mithal of CBC made it into the team.
The players were said to be outstanding in the Dumaza Dube-coached Bulawayo team.
Zimbabwe Junior Football Association chairman Zivanai Chiyangwa was happy with the competition and said they were hoping to have most of the players graduating to other national teams.
“For the country to have a formidable national team we have to have a sound base and that is why we are committed to identifying players at grassroots so that they are nurtured. This tournament was an eye-opener for everyone because we had players from rural and urban areas competing. Actually the selectors saw           that there is abundant talent in all parts of the country.
“We are going to organise more holiday camps for our juniors as well as friendly matches. It is our hope that these players will not be lost and in a few years time they will compete at the Fifa Under-17 World Cup finals,” Chiyangwa said.
On their way to the final, Bulawayo beat Manicaland 3-0 with Khumalo getting a brace while Nqobile Ndlovu of Mzilikazi scored the other goal.
Khumalo scored the solitary goal against Midlands in their second match and was also on target when they beat Mashonaland East 2-1 in the semi-finals. The other goal for Bulawayo came from Tshuma’s boot.
Harare beat Mashonaland Central 3-0 in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, four provinces Bulawayo, Matabeleland South, Midlands and Matabeleland North were stranded for over eight hours yesterday near Chegutu after their bus developed a mechanical fault.
Midlands Junior League chairman Sama Musekiwa said the players were hungry while           the Matabeleland South boss Frank Baloyi was livid.
“We are travelling with primary children and for them to be exposed to such kind of things is bad. Worse still we are in the bush, there are no shops to get them something to eat. This is not good at all,” Baloyi said.
Matabeleland North eventually found alternative transport and left the other three provinces behind.
Bulawayo Junior League bosses said some of the organisers had switched off their phones.
“We have been stuck here since 5am and we are very much concerned because we have children and as you are aware most schools do not want their students to travel at night. We are just hoping to get these children home safely,” Mthunzi said of the Bulawayo Province.
Chiyangwa said his organisation was not to blame for the problem.
“It is not fair to blame us. When they were about to leave for Bulawayo on Saturday their bus developed a fault and we organised that they sleep at the Zifa Village. We got calls that they were stuck and as the national junior league association we spoke to the transporter. Two hours ago a bus left for Chegutu to pick them up.
“Actually I was there to see the bus off,” said Chiyangwa just after 2pm.
At that time, the three provinces were still stuck.
Squad
Bulawayo: Denzel Khumalo, Lesley Lunga, Mthabisi Tshuma, Davin Mithal,Reward Muza
Harare: Tapfumanei Chigova, Kudzai Govero, Greg Chidakwa, Shelton Muza, Kelvin Mangiza, Walter Muzanganembwe, Marlvin Mungate, Hippi Gilles Karuseni
Matabeleland North: Alois Madhimba, Samson Phiri, Brian Dube
Matabeleland South: Nkosilathi Chingoto, Amson Ndlovu, Thulani Ndimande, Joseph Rashaka Ndou
Midlands: Innocent Mudingo, Justice T Malunga, Nichole T Mutatiwa, Victor Junior Moyo, Armstrong Mutudza
Manicaland: Nyasha Rino, Carlton Mutseketerwa, Clive Phiri, Tapiwa Mupengo, Takudzwa L Sithole, Lloyd Ngoni
Mashonaland Central: Elton Diran, Obert Adiyeti, Tinotenda Mabhandi, Tinashe Mureya, Tafazdwa Kutinga, Batuance Mashumba
Mashonaland East: Jacob Antony, Taurai Tsuro, Miguel Madzivanyika, Emmanuel Chitsomba, Blessing Mhuru, Shingirai Masukatiza
Mashonaland West: Blessed Jemwa, Thomas Musapenda, Emmanuel Jalai, Ronald Maesera, John Zimuto
Masvingo: Advantage Tongai, Golden Zangani, Kudzaishe Ruzande, Tonderai Bonasi, Michael Tapera.