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The Young Warriors who knocked out Botswana from the competition with a 5-1 aggregate win will play host to Angola on the weekend of 27-29 July.
In a telephone interview from Harare yesterday, the Zifa chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze confirmed that the Young Warriors’ technical team has asked for a three-week camp before taking on Angola.
He said his organisation was in the process of engaging their partners over the matter.
“The Young Warriors will camp in Triangle as part of their next month’s preparations for the first leg of the second round qualifier for the Africa Youth Championship against Angola. Zifa will partner Triangle for the accommodation, shuttling and allowances for the camp.
“What might be a challenge is the availability of players as some of them are at school and might miss the team-building camp,” Mashingaidze said.
Most of the players in the Young Warriors might also be caught up in the club-country battle as they are key figures in their teams which are either fighting relegation or are gunning for the championship.
Some of the players in the Jairos Tapera- coached side who have done duty in Under-17s and 20s include skipper Willard Kalongoda, the Moyo twins Elvis and Kelvin, Kudakwashe Mahachi, Nqobizitha Masuku and Knox Mutizwa.
There is also Farai Madora, younger brother to senior national team striker Edward Sadomba and Brian Five who acquitted themselves well against Botswana.
Madora was in Zimbabwe’s national five-aside team that convincingly beat Sudan 5-2 in a Futsal World Cup Qualifier and drew with South Africa.
Despite the experience in his squad, Tapera is keen to beef his midfield and strikeforce.
“I am very happy that we managed to go through to the next round of the competition although I feel there are some areas in which we did not do well. Right now I will go and look for a right midfield link and a central defender. For a central defender, I want someone with a good height, who has power and can command the defence from within,” said Tapera after the 1-1 draw in Botswana.
In an interview yesterday, Tapera could not be drawn into revealing the players he had identified to beef his squad.
“Our programme is at Zifa and we are waiting for their response. I have proposed to have a three-week long camp and during that period we will have some of the players that have been identified to come and train with the rest of the players,” said Tapera.
Meanwhile, Mashingaidze said his organisation was serious about the Warriors brand and the Young Warriors-Angola match would be played outside Harare.
“Remember, most of these Under-20s are our future team and we are saying people have to embrace and support these Young Warriors. We are going to need these boys for our 2013 Afcon finals, the World Cup 2014 qualifiers as well as 2015 Afcon qualifiers.
“We are yet to decide on the venue but it will definitely be played outside Harare. We want to take the national teams to Hwange, Gweru, Zvishavane and Mutare because they have facilities that meet Caf standards.
“What we will be doing is to take the Warriors brand throughout the country and we appeal to the corporate world and stakeholders to play their part in supporting this initiative,” said Mashingaidze
The Young Warriors played Botswana at Barbourfields Stadium.
Online Reporter