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Langton Nyakwenda
FORMER Warriors goalkeepers’ coach Brenna Msiska bemoaned the lack of proper football facilities for junior football after gracing the annual Mwalimu Kumbula Soccer tournament held at Kubatana Primary school in Epworth yesterday.
The Epworth football fiesta is a brainchild of Musekiwa Kumbula, one of the most illustrious sons of the sprawling suburb, which also produced Caps United star linkman Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo.
Chitiyo briefly showed up at the tournament that featured Epworth Pirates, Saints and Epworth Athletic.
The teams’ Under-13 and Under-17 age groups battled against each other.
“Epworth has got talent as you can see. However, our facilities are poor. I don’t think we can go further with football when these kids are playing in sandy and hard surface pitches like this one.
“I urge council to help schools develop their grounds so that young players can play on proper grass surfaces,” said Msiska, who was part of the Warriors technical team at the 2019 African Cup of Nations finals in Egypt.
“The concept is good but as a country, we need to do something about our facilities,” added the former Caps United goalie.
Tournament coordinator Shepherd Mudzamiri believes the rise of Chitiyo will inspire Epworth’s budding footballers to take the game seriously.
“This tournament is about talent identification and development and we are moving in the right direction.
“We are in the Zifa structures, under the Epworth Area Zone. We feel that we are playing our part in developing the game,” said Mudzamiri.
“Epworth’s talent is not being tapped to the maximum. I just wish Premier Soccer league coaches would come for these kinds of tournaments.
“Chitiyo rose through the ranks here in Epworth and is very supportive. He came here first, just to inspire the boys, before leaving for Gweru where Caps United are playing TelOne tomorrow (today),” said Mudzamiri.
Chitiyo now owns an Epworth based team that plays in Division Two.
Online Reporter