adminEddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
THE depleted Zimbabwe Under-23 side will be looking to stand their ground when they begin their All-Africa Games and Olympic journey against giants Cameroon at Rufaro tomorrow despite going through a rough week of preparations.
The Zimbabwe Under-23 coaches feel they have been given a raw deal by their colleagues in the Premiership, who refused to avail players for the game.
Young Warriors head coach Callisto Pasuwa called up 29 players two weeks ago, but some clubs held onto their players and the technical team ended up making several changes.
But Pasuwa and his charges will need to grind a result at home to cushion themselves ahead of the second leg of this final round qualifier in two weeks’ time.
Winners from the two-legged tie will proceed to the 2015 All-Africa Games in Congo later this year where the three top teams automatically qualify for next year’s Olympic Games.
Team manager Charles Mukaronda yesterday said they were still looking ahead with a positive mind although they have not had the kind of preparation they would have wanted.
Mukaronda yesterday said some clubs were still piling pressure to withdraw their players for the season-opening matches set for this afternoon.
Highlanders, who play ZPC today at Gwanzura, want key striker Thomas Chideu, while Buffaloes were also pushing for the release of Liberty Chakoroma and Admire Dzumbunu for their match against Dynamos this afternoon.
“We are still in a Catch-22 situation because more clubs are coming for their players yet we have an important match on Sunday (tomorrow).
“I think CAPS United set a very bad precedence when they refused to release their players. Right now the coaches’ hands are tied because there is really nothing they can do about this situation since these guys are saying the match is not under the Fifa calendar.
“So, we might end up releasing some of our key players like Thomas Chideu (Highlanders) to their clubs because they are the ones who pay the player’s salaries.
“But it will be difficult for the youngsters to recover after playing a high intensity game tomorrow (today) and play again on Sunday.
“In future, I think there is need to have better synchronisation of our games because if everything was well co-ordinated with Zifa and PSL pulling in the same direction, some of the matches could have been postponed.
“I had thought our mission was bigger and we were expecting everyone’s support since we are representing the nation.
“My question is ‘what will the nation celebrate more between a CAPS United or Highlanders victory and the nation’s qualification for either the All-Africa Games or the Olympics?’” said Mukaronda.
The Young Warriors will have to do without regular goalkeeper Donovan Bernard and his How Mine teammates, who were ruled out by their club due to injury, while FC Platinum would not release the trio of Emmanuel Mandiranga, Walter Musona and Kelvin Moyo. The platinum miners coach Norman Mapeza only gave the greenlight to the Young Warriors skipper Wisdom Mutasa, who is expected to drive Zimbabwe’s cause tomorrow.
The Zimbabwe Under-23 team also failed to lure foreign-based players Kuda Mahachi (Mamelodi Sundowns), Marvelous Nakamba (Vitesse, Netherlands), Macauley Bonne (Colchester United, England), Munyaradzi Mbanje (England) and David Moyo (England).
The Cameroonians were expected in the country yesterday. Their arrival was delayed by 24 hours after experiencing visa challenges on the way.
The Olympic Lions were forced to spend the night at Nairobi International Airport after they could not board their connecting flight because they did not have visas to enter Zimbabwe.
The Olympic Lions coach, Pierre Ndjili, travelled with a team of 18 players comprising home-based and professional players from the list of the 22 players who took part in the last training camp.
The coach had initially called 44 players who took part in the first training camp in Yaounde, which was later trimmed to 22 in the second training camp, essentially made of home-based players.
Young Warriors squad:
Goalkeepers: Tatenda Mukuruva (Dynamos), Tatenda Gwademba (Harare City), Akim Abdul (Sunshine Dodges, Australia), Takabva Mawaya (Hwange)
Defenders: Blessing Moyo (Dynamos), Ronald Pfumbidzayi (CAPS United), Liberty Chakoroma (Buffaloes), Teenage Hadebe (Highlanders), Praise Tonha (Triangle), Munyaradzi Diro-Nyenye
Midfielders: Nqobizitha Masuku (Highlanders), Kudzai Nyamupfukudza (CAPS United), Wisdom Mutasa ( FC Platinum), Carlos Rusere (Dynamos), Malvern Gaki (Triangle), Talent Chawapihwa (Harare City), Takudzwa Kutinyu (Chicken Inn)
Forwards: Pritchard Mphelele (Hwange), Judah Rashirai (Real Salt Lake Academy), Terrence Gonzo (ZPC Kariba), Samuel Makawa (ZPC Kariba), Thomas Chideu (Highlanders), Tino Kadewera (Harare City), Thomas Kadyaridzire (Dynamos).
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