Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Under-20 soccer team will play two of the same opponents they faced at last year’s Cosafa Under-20 championship when the tournament gets underway from December 2-14 in Kitwe, Zambia.
According to the draw conducted yesterday, the Young Warriors found themselves in Group C alongside 2017 runners-up Lesotho, Angola and Botswana.
The Young Warriors beat Angola 1-0 and drew 0-0 with Lesotho in their pool matches last year, while their third game was also a 0-0 stalemate against Namibia. They eventually bowed out by virtue of an inferior goal difference compared to Lesotho, who scored two goals and conceded none.
Hosts Zambia were seeded in Group A and will play against Malawi, Reunion and Mozambique, while defending champions South Africa will face Namibia, Mauritius and Eswatini.
Only the top team in each pool and the best-placed runner-up will advance to the semi-finals.
The winner of Group B will take on the best-placed runner-up in the semi-finals, while the top two sides in Groups A and C will face-off in the knockout stage.
Zimbabwe’s technical team led by head coach, Bekithemba Ndlovu, is yet to name its provisional squad but almost certain to be part of the line-up are Highlanders’ Andrew Mbeba and Herentals’ Tinotendaishe Benza, who have displayed some mature football for their respective sides in the Premiership.
The technical team would also need to cast its net wide and bring in some talented boys from rural schools like Radiance Chapeyama from Tsholotsho High School as well as Lenon Nleya from Somvubu Secondary School.
The two boys showed immense talent during the National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash) tournaments held last term.
derick.khumalo