Young Warriors’ camp cancelled

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
FINANCIAL constraints have forced Zifa to break the Young Warriors’ camp ahead of their return leg of the 2017 Africa Under-20 Championships qualifier against Botswana in Lobatse on the weekend of April 22-24.

Zimbabwe lost 0-1 in the first leg played at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday, with coach Jairos Tapera attributing the defeat to inadequate preparations.

The Young Warriors will be seeking to overturn the score line and progress to the next round where Cameroon awaits.

Zimbabwe only had a three-day camp before playing Botswana.

Soon after their defeat against Botswana, Tapera expressed his desire to continue with the Young Warriors’ camp.

“I gave my training programme to the office and I’m waiting for their response. It’s possible to beat Botswana right in their backyard, but we’ve to be adequately prepared. The last time we had limited time to prepare and in my proposal I wanted to keep the group together, add a few faces so that we’ve the best squad going for the second leg. In my proposal, I also indicated that the latest that we can start camp is April 9,” said Tapera.

An impeccable Zifa source said the national football mother body ignored the Young Warriors’ proposal to have a long camp due to lack of resources.

“Zifa is seized with a number of issues and the Young Warriors’ matter will be dealt with late because there are no resources to keep the squad in camp. Remember if they’re in camp, it means Zifa has to give all those 25 plus players in camp allowances as well as the technical team. There’s also the senior women’s team that’s doing duty and Zifa has to accommodate the visiting team and match officials,” said the source.

The Mighty Warriors take on Zambia in an Africa Women Cup of Nations match in Harare today.

In the event that the camp resumes on Saturday, it means the Young Warriors will have over 10 days of training, which will be better than the three that they had before the first leg.

Botswana coach Philemon Makwengwe told local media that his team was not going to break camp after their victory.

“We’re going into camp the moment we get home. We need all the time to have the squad ready for the return fixture,” Makwengwe said.

While Botswana are already preparing for the second leg, Zifa are yet to confirm whether the Young Warriors’ camp will start at the weekend.

“A position will be made after the Mighty Warriors-Zambia qualifier,” said Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela.