‘U-17 ready for Congo’

team’s make-or-break tie against Angola, the Young Warriors have kept their heads high and know a comfortable win today is the tonic they need to progress to the last round.  
The Young Warriors advanced to the first round after seeing off Mozambique 4-2 on aggregate in the first round, beating them 2-0 in Maputo after a 2-2 draw in Harare in the first leg.
The Young Warriors played two matches in Zambia last weekend, going down 2-1 in the first match but came back a better side in the second game as they held the hosts to a goalless draw.
Despite losing one and drawing the other, the Young Warriors put up a good account of themselves and are looking forward to beating Congo.
Kagogoda feels the team is now in good shape to face the West Africans.
“We are working with a group of young talented players who are desperate to write their own piece of history,” said Kagogoda. “The team is shaping up and we need to go for an outright win.
“We need to do just like what our senior team did against Angola in the first leg — now the pressure is on their opponents to reverse the scoreline.
“We need to be on the offensive and score goals so that we make life easy for ourselves when we travel there for the second leg. Obviously, we don’t know how the players will perform under a game situation but it’s looking promising from the way they have been presenting themselves at training.”
Kagogoda, who has worked with the juniors for years and is also one of the assistants at Northern Region Division One side Aces Youth Soccer Academy, believes the friendly matches they played against Zambia have helped them in fine-tuning their side. “Our friendly matches against Zambia were the kind of exposure these youngsters needed and you can see they are ready and raring to go,” said Kagogoda.
Congo arrived in the country yesterday morning and their coach Eddie Hudanski said they were going to adopt cautious approach.
“We are happy to be here — this is our first time playing Zimbabwe and I understand they are a very strong side,” said Hudanski. “We have come here to observe then we can finish the job in the return leg in Brazzaville.
“It’s not going to be an easy match for both teams but we are looking forward to a favourable result.” The Young Warriors know that Congo were bronze medallists at the African Youth Championships last year and their strength has also been underlined by receiving a bye in the first round. Coach Lloyd Chigowe is unlikely to tamper much with his team and is expected to retain the bulk of players who did duty against Mozambique in the first round.
Kelvin Bingala, who was instrumental in the first round against Mozambique, will be another key figure who is expected to play an important role in midfield. Chigowe can also bank on Aces Youth Academy forward Bret Amidu, Allan Wilson pacy striker Vialla Tadzoka, Guinea Fowl left back Bastos Chihowa, leading goal scorer Tino Kadewere and skipper Carlos Mavhurume.
There were also efforts to have five players — midfileders Munashe Muza and Langton Jakuchichi, strikers Manuel Mandiranga, James Ngulube and Muchineripi Stewart — undergo MRI bone testing so that they can be considered for selection.