Online Reporter
Patience Dube, [email protected]
THERE could be a shift in the balance of power in Zimbabwe junior football as Manicaland has contributed the highest number of boys in the Zimbabwe Under-17 team for the Confederation of Southern African Schools Sports Association (Cosassa) squad.
The team was elected in Bulawayo last week after the National Association of Secondary School Heads Ball Games Championships held in the city.
Zimbabwe will play host to the regional games from August 31- September 3 as the nation got the nod to organise the competitions to feature several sports codes.
Coaches Karl Nyambaya, Inzwirashe Sanero, Takunda Chekecheke, Kelvin Veremu, Leeroy Mutolilo and Blessed Duri selected the national squad.
Bulawayo, a dominant figure in schools and junior football since the 1980s, saw four of its youngsters Awakhiwe Tshalibe, Ngobizitha Ndlovu, Christiano Sibanda and Wallace Scot being selected.
Masvingo, which was represented at the tournament by Pamushana, contributed Siyanda Zimba, Kelvin Siwela, Tinenyasha Masikati and Ian Makawanise while the Midlands has Gabriel Gandiwa. Mashonaland West,
Mashonaland East, Matabeleland North and Mashonaland Central like the Midlands, contributed a player each and these are Jameel Mesaya, Zacharia Mpofu, Andile Sibanda and Tafaraishe Khama respectively.
According to the Under-17 national coach Bernard Matenga, the squad will camp before the Southern Africa schools championships.
“Currently, we have the provisional squad. I urged players to train hard from their bases,” he said.
The countries that are expected to participate in the Cosassa Games are Eswatini, Namibia, Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe
Underr-17 Boys Team
Siyanda Zumba (Masvingo), Karl Nyambaya (Manicaland), Kelvin Siwela (Masvingo), George Ngululu (Harare), Andile Sibanda (Matabeleland North), Awakhiwe Tshalibe (Bulawayo), Zacharia Mpofu (Mashonaland East), Gabriel Gandiwa (Midlands), Tinenyasha Masikati (Masvingo), Inzwirashe Sanero (Manicaland), Takunda Chekecheke (Manicaland), Ian Makwanise (Masvingo), Kelvin Yeremu (Manicaland), Tafaraishe Khama (Mashonaland Central), Leeroy Mutolilo (Manicaland), Jameel Mesaya (Mashonaland West), Wallace Scot (Bulawayo), Christiano Sibanda (Bulawayo), Ngobizitha Ndlovu (Bulawayo) and Blessed Duri (Manicaland).
derick.khumalo