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Langton Nyakwenda-Zimpapers Sports Hub
TEN players from the squad that represented Zimbabwe at the HollywoodBets COSAFA Cup tournament are under the age of 20.
Zimbabwe uncharacteristically bowed out of the tournament at the group stage with hosts South Africa winning through from their pool.
But in line with the thrust undertaken by ZIFA to use this year’s COSAFA Cup as a platform for development, 10 of the players who were in Bloemfontein will be eligible to play at the African Union Sports Council Region 5 COSAFA Under-20 tournament to be staged in Windhoek, Namibia from July 4-13.
Following an understanding between COSAFA and the AUSC, the Region 5 Games will this year also double as the COSAFA Under-20 championships for men and women.
It is a development that is exciting national Under-20 coach, Simon Marange, who was also in charge of the Warriors at the COSAFA Cup tournament in Bloemfontein.
For Marange, the focus now shifts to the Under-20 tournament in Namibia. It is a competition that Marange intends to use for further development of players, ahead of the 2028 Olympic qualifiers, which start next year.
The Ngezi Platinum Stars trio of Nisbet Muzenda (19), Tanaka Munemo (18) and Blessed Mashonganyika (19) headline the list of those still eligible to play in the Under-2o competition in Namibia.
In that Windhoek-bound side, they could be joined by the TelOne pair of Simbarashe Takaedza (18) and 17-year-old Calvin Chigara and the Highlanders 19-year-old duo of forward Prince Ndhlovu and Mafious Chihweta.
Manica Diamonds goalkeeper Joseph Kaunda is still 19 and also set to make the travelling party to Namibia.
There is also room for 19-year-old Kurainashe Musanhi (Crystal Palace, England) Prosper Padera (18) who plays for SJK Seinajoki in Finland and Menzi Mazwi (19) of (Birmingham City.
They would have gained invaluable experience from the three games that Zimbabwe played against Mauritius, South Africa and Mozambique in the COSAFA Cup.
Marange is now banking on them to inspire the Young Warriors in Namibia.
“We should plan on that as a number of players from the COSAFA squad qualify, so they will give us good continuity and experience going into the U20s tournament.
“It also dovetails into the bigger picture of Olympic qualifiers, so yes, definitely, that’s the plan,” added Marange.
The Region 5 Games in Windhoek, Namibia will feature football competitions in both the Men’s and Women’s Under-20 age-groups that will be organised by COSAFA.
Zimbabwe are in Group A alongside Angola, Malawi and hosts Namibia.
Group B includes South Africa, Zambia, Eswatini and Botswana.
The top two teams from the groups advance to the semi-finals.
Apart from those who were with the Warriors, Marange has a host of exciting players from different academies dotted around the country from where he can draw talent for the Region 5 Games.
In the same vein that Under-20 players were roped into the COSAFA Cup squad, Marange should be bold enough to take some of the best talent from the national Under-17 side and give them the necessary exposure which will benefit the Olympics squad and the senior team.
Online Reporter