More misery hounds Under-23s

UNCERTAINTY continues to hound the Young Warriors camp ahead of their trip to Cameroon when a handful of players turned up as the team regrouped in Harare on Tuesday.

The national Under-23 team is set to leave for Yaoundé tomorrow to defend their slender 1-0 lead in the African Games qualifier.

Team manager Charles Mukaronda said they were still not sure of the players who will be able to join camp ahead of the final selection today.

“The players are still trickling into camp. So today we just had a light session by loosening out and we hope to have proper training on Wednesday (today).

“Few players have arrived and we don’t know who will be released by their clubs to join. Some of the players were involved in their clubs’ matches over the Easter Holidays,” said Mukaronda.

Last week, Young Warriors coach Callisto Pasuwa was forced to break camp after some Premiership clubs requested for their players.

In the reverse fixture at Rufaro, Pasuwa was forced to use a truncated squad because Highlanders and FC Platinum held on to their players.

FC Platinum only allowed skipper Wisdom Mutasa to join camp while Emmanuel Mandiranga and Walter Musona remained at the club.

Highlanders also recalled striker Thomas Chideu and Teenage Hadebe for their league encounter against Buffaloes at Gwanzura.

“It’s difficult for the technical team to plan for the match when we don’t know the players who will turn up.

“We needed the players for a longer period so that we can work out on the combinations and see how the team is gelling.

“For now we’re operating in an extremely difficult situation and we hope to do the best under the circumstances,” said Mukaronda.

Barring any changes to the travelling arrangements, the Young Warriors are expected to leave on Thursday night for the game.

Pasuwa has kept faith in the bulk of the players used in the first leg with Triangle’s exciting winger Malvern Gaki and Mutasa expected to lead the attack.

Chideu is also expected to be at the training camp this morning at Greendale Sports Club while the coaches are keeping faith that the Dynamos trio of Blessing Moyo, Tatenda Mukuruva and Carlos Rusere make the trip.

Cameroon have promised to beef up their squad and overcome the deficit to progress to the next round. – Sportszone.