Young Warriors hope for positive start

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Under-20 squad get their Cosafa Cup glory underway today with a clash against Botswana at Nkana Stadium hoping for a positive start so as to progress to the next stage of the tournament.

Zimbabwe are in Group C together with Lesotho and Angola and Bekithemba Ndlovu’s boys will be hoping for a bright start to their campaign.

With Namibia withdrawing from the tournament at the last minute and the tournament rules saying the top sides in each group and the best runners up advance to the semifinals, it means the best placed runners up will now come from the Young Warriors’ group as well as Group A which has hosts Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and guest nation the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“We have been working on our finishing with emphasis to score from every chance that we create. Last year we did not do well in front of goals but we hope the work that we have done will make us improve this year.

“We have not forgotten the defence because it is also critical but the main work was in the strike force,” Ndlovu told our sister paper Sunday News prior to departure for Zambia over the weekend.

Triangle United striker Delic Murimba and Bosso’s Thabo Lunga are likely to lead Zimbabwe’s strikeforce this afternoon while another Bosso youngster Andrew Mbeba will certainly marshal the defence alongside alongside Shadreck Nyahwa of Bulawayo Chiefs, Munashe Garananga of Ubuntu as well as Brandon Mpofu of Indlovu Iyanyathela.

Zim Under-20 Squad

Goalkeepers

1. Tinotenda Issah Ali (Yadah Stars)
2. Frank Kuchineyi (Herentals)

Defenders

3. Andrew Kabila Mbeba (Highlanders)
4. Munashe Peter Garananga (Ubuntu FC)
5. Emmanuel Jalayi (Aces Academy)
6. Brandon Mpofu (INdlovu Iyanyathela)
7. Shadreck Panashe Nyahwa (Bulawayo Chiefs)

Midfielders

8. Devine Philmon Mhindiriri (Bulawayo City)
9. Takunda Macdonald Mukunga (Harare City)
10. Tatenda Tumba (Harare City)
11. Kelvin Ndebele (CAPS United)
12. Tinotenda Ashabel Chiunye (CAPS United)
13. Junior Blessing Nyamuzihwa (ZPC Kariba)
14. Tatenda Muringani (Dynamos)
15. Leonard Jani (FC Platinum)
16. Marvin Sibanda (Taft’s Head Boys Varsity)

Strikers

17. Delic Alfornce Murimba (Triangle)
18. Blessing Tinotenda Sarupinda (Black Rhinos)
19. Clive Junior Rupiya (Chapungu)
20. Thabo Lunga (Highlanders)