admin
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO Metropolitan Province’s reputation as a junior football hub is once again bearing fruits after seven players from its Serie A Junior League made the Warriors’ Afcon qualifiers’ provisional squad called up by interim coach Joey Antipas this week.
The 32-member squad goes into camp to prepare for the 2021 Afcon group games opener against Botswana and Zambia next month at Barbourfields Stadium and in Lusaka respectively.
Teenage Hadebe (Highlanders/Bantu Rovers), Knox Mutizwa (Highlanders), Kudakwashe Mahachi (Highlanders/Bantu Rovers), Kelvin Moyo (Highlanders/Bantu Rovers), Marvelous Nakamba (Highlanders/Bantu Rovers), Prince Dube (LMC) and Divine Xolile Lunga (Ajax Hotspurs/Chicken Inn) are all in the provisional Warriors’ squad as the developmental effect of the famed ‘Premier League’ of Zifa Bulawayo Province Serie A starts bearing fruit.
The Serie A was started by Mkhululi Mthunzi, who was chairman of the junior league in Bulawayo, together with Otrick Mthunzi.
“Serie A was started after the realisation that Highlanders had been winning junior league titles almost every year largely because of walkovers as a number of teams were failing to travel for matches.
“These guys then agreed to have a league of elite players and teams that were prepared to travel for matches and Serie A was born,” said former Zifa Bulawayo Province board member Siphambaniso Dube.
He said in order not to completely shut the door for teams that faced financial difficulties, they formed Serie B, which was location based.
“Under Serie B, we had Pool A and B depending on which location the teams were based. This was to make sure that junior football was played throughout the city. Once a team won promotion in Serie B, it would then be asked to confirm if it could travel for matches in Serie A,” said Dube.
Besides the seven that made it into the Afcon preparatory squad, two other products of the famed Serie A, Peter Muduhwa and Nqobizitha Masuku, are part of the Chan squad.
Warriors provisional squad
Goalkeepers: Elvis Chipezeze (Baroka), Martin Mapisa (Velez CF), Simbarashe Chinani (Dynamos)
Defenders: Douglas Nyaupembe (Stockport County), Ian Nekati (ZPC Kariba), Tivonge Rushesha (Swansea City), Cliff Moyo (Kidderminister Harriers), Divine Lunga (Lamontville Golden Arrows), Adam Chicksen (Bolton Wanderers), Jordan Zemura (Bournemouth), Ronald Pfumbidzai (Bloemfontein Celtic), Teenage Hadebe (Yeni Malatyaspor), Alec Mudimu (CEFN Druids), Partson Jaure (Manica Diamonds), Kelvin Moyo (Chippa United)
Midfielders: Marshall Munetsi (Stade de Reims), Thabani Kamusoko (Zesco United), Butholezwe Ncube (Amazulu), Marvelous Nakamba (Aston Villa), Ovidy Karuru (Amazulu), Kudakwashe Mahachi (SuperSport United), Khama Billiat (Kaizer Chiefs), Phenias Bamusi (Caps United), Jonah Fabisch (Hamburger SV)
Strikers: Admiral Muskwe (Leicester City), Terence Dzukamanja (Bidvest Wits), Prince Dube (Highlanders), Knowledge Musona (RSC Anderlecht), Tino Kadewere (Le Havre), Knox Mutizwa (Golden Arrows), Macauley Bonne (Charlton Athletic), Evans Rusike (SuperSport United)
Online Reporter