adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
AS Zimbabwe brace for the Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations football qualifiers when they take on Mozambique next month, the technical department will have a broad base to pick from following indications that there are several overseas-based players willing to feature for the Young Warriors.
The Young Warriors will kick-start their campaign against Mozambique in back-to-back qualifiers for the Under-23 AFCON to be staged in Egypt later in the year.
ZIFA have been working with Team Zimbabwe-UK and the Zimbabwe Foreign Legion to bring in foreign-based professional players with Zimbabwean roots to represent their country.
Among those that have so far represented the country is Nottingham Forest defender Tendayi Darikwa, who featured for the Warriors during their back-to-back matches against the Democratic Republic of Congo last October after he secured his Zimbabwean passport.
And they are not just focusing on the Warriors only but also the lower age-group teams.
Zimbabwe Foreign Legion’s founder Mistry Chipere said they have identified several Under-23 players dotted around the globe that are willing to play for the national teams.
“What I have just done is I have tried to open up, or maybe should I say to show the coaches that we have got a wider selection pool, not only in the Absa South African Premiership because we have been relying on it and the local league. But you have got guys from Europe, in the Under-17s, in the Under-20s,” said Chipere.
Chipere has come up with a list of more than 20 players that are eligible to play for the national Under-23 side.
These include Reading’s Andy Rinomhota, Tinashe Chakwana of Burnley, Reinhard Fabisch (Jnr), Matifadza Zata, Admiral Muskwe, Kundai Benyu, Terry Mupariwa, Farai Mutatu, Shama Bako, Seth Patrick, Martin Zulu, Kudzi Manyonga, Luther Munodawafa, Abubakar Moffart, Tristan Neydam, Arnold Ndiweni, Bobhoski Dube, Leroy Hlabi, Vitalis Takawira (Jnr), Tawanda Mutoti, Enrique Ricardo, Martin Mapisa, Reward Mwakona, Douglas Nyaupembe, Philip Bilson, Lance Moyo, Vashiko Dixon, Akim Kalim Abudul, Joshua Jeche and Washington Bgoni.
Most of them also qualify for the national Under-20 side as they are still below the age of 20.
“As for me personally I am doing it out of passion, I don’t expect anything because I just enjoy doing it. But as for the players I think success starts from the juniors, we should start testing this success from the junior football.
Identified Overseas-based Players
Goalkeepers: Martin Mapisa (Velez FC, Spain), Akim Kalim Abdul ( Sunshine FC, Australia), Washington Bgoni (FMU Patriots, United States).
Defenders: Reward Mwakona (Larne FC, Northern Ireland), Vashiko Dixon (Zamora FC, Venezuela), Douglas Nyaupembe (Bury, England), Philip Bilson (Mainsfield, England), Lance Moyo (Mainfield, England), Tawanda Mutoti (Nottingham Forest, England), Joshua Jeche (Cambridge United, England), Martin Zulu (Swainhem Germaine 06, Germany).
Midfielders: Matifadza Zata (Dundee United, Scotland), Farai Mutatu (Michigan State, United States), Seth Patrick (Vfb Lubeck, Germany), Shama Bako (VfB Lubeck, Germany), Jonah Renard Fabisch Jnr (Hamburg, Germany), Luther Munodawafa (Nottingham Forest, England), Moffat Abbubakar (CD Academy, Spain), Terry Mupariwa (Burnley, England), Kudzi Manyonga (FC Inter Turku, Finland), Kundayi Benyu (Celtic, Scotland), Tristan Neydam (Ipswich, England), Andy Rinomhota (Reading, England), Arnold Ndiweni (Mainfied, England), Bobhoski Dube (USA), Enrique Ricardo ndlovu (Slovakia).
Strikers: Admiral Muskwe (Leicester City, England), Leroy Hlabi (Gillingham, England), Tinashe Chakwana (Burnley, England), Vitalis Takawira Jnr (Portland Timbers, USA).
Online Reporter