adminAugustine Hwata Sports Reporter
ZPC Kariba coach Saul Chaminuka will take charge of the de facto national soccer team when he leads the national Under-23 side in a hastily-arranged international friendly against Botswana in Gaborone on September 30.
Zifa last month disbanded the Warriors following their failure to progress beyond the preliminary stage of the 2015 African Cup of Nations qualifying campaign while coach Ian Gorowa also quit.
The association then indicated that they were shifting their attention to the Under-23 side ahead of the start of the 2016 Olympic Games qualifiers and appointed Dynamos gaffer Callisto Pasuwa as the substantive Young Warriors mentor.
Pasuwa will also act as the senior team coach should there be any assignments involving the Warriors.
The Dynamos coach will perform his first function as national coach when he joins technical director Maxwell Takaendesa Jongwe to attend a Fifa technical review of the 2014 World Cup at the African edition of the review set for Cairo, Egypt on the same day that Zimbabwe will be locking horns with Botswana in Gaborone.
It is against this background that veteran coach Chaminuka has been thrust to take charge of the youthful side that Zimbabwe will send into battle against the Zebras.
Chaminuka who is Pasuwa’s assistant in the Under-23 set up will be assisted Hwange’s Nation Dube on the trip to Gaborone.
Yesterday Pasuwa, Chaminuka and Dube picked their initial youth side with the ZPC Kariba coach indicating they hope to build on from the match against the Zebras.
Chanimuka told the Zifa website www.zifa.org.zw that they would keep improving the squad as they look to build on a side that will also compete in the 2015 All-Africa Games qualifiers scheduled for Congo.
Tuesday’s match in Gaborone is being used to commemorate Botswana’s Independence Day at their National Stadium.
“This is the first time many of these guys have been together, therefore we will use this match to assess them to determine if they are the crop to take us to the next level.
“We have confidence in the selected players and the technical team is optimistic of grinding a positive result in Botswana,” Chaminuka said.
Most of the players have been selected from Premiership clubs and are expected to troop into camp on Saturday before their departure on Sunday by road.
Zifa are also planning to get the Young Warriors to play the team that knocked the Warriors out of the Nations Cup qualifiers — Tanzania — on October 8 before they date the hosts of the continental showpiece Morocco on November 16.
A number of players who have been gaining Premiership experience at their respective clubs such Dynamos right back Blessing Moyo, CAPS United left back Ronald Pfumbidzai, How Mine goalkeeper Donovan Bernard, FC Platinum forwards Walter Musona and Wisdom Mutasa and Tafadzwa Kutinyu of Bantu Rovers have been included.
Rodwell Rusere of Zifa Northern Region Division One outfit DC Academy is the only player in the 18-man side who is not attached to a Premiership club.
Young Warriors Team:
Donovan Bernard (How Mine), Tatenda Mukuruva (Dynamos), Blessing Moyo (Dynamos), Praise Tonha (Triangle), Liberty Chakoroma (Buffaloes), Njabulo Kelvin (FC Platinum), Lawrence Mhlanga (Chicken Inn), Tafadzwa Mavunga (ZPC Kariba), Ronald Pfumbidzayi (CAPS United), Masuku Nqobizitha (Bantu Rovers), Wisdom Mutasa (FC Platinum), Brian Muzondiwa (Black Rhinos), Musona Walter (FC Platinum), Emmanuel Mandiringa (How Mine), Tafadzwa Kutinyu (Bantu Rovers), Gabriel Nyoni (Highlanders), Knox Mutizwa (Highlanders), Rodwell Rusere (DC Academy)
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