Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIFA say they will continue casting the nets far and wide as they look to blend local and foreign-based players for the Africa Union of Sport Council Region 5 Games to take place in Namibia next month.
The association’s technical director Jethro Hunidzarira told Zimpapers Sports Hub yesterday that while they have been moving around the country scouting for players, they have also kept a keen eye on the developing talent in the diaspora, which they hope to harness from a young age.
ZIFA will in the coming days announce the teams for the men’s and women’s Under-20 competitions that will be held under the auspices of COSAFA in Windhoek, from July 4-13.
ZIFA said they will continue with the experiment they started last year when they reached out to Kurainashe Musanhu of Crystal Palace, Kennedy Mupomba (Chelmsford City) and Tanaka Cherera of Bury City for the COSAFA Under-20 tournament that was held in Mozambique.
The integration has also been taking place in the women’s team with the recent call-up of players such as Tanyaradzwa Nyakuchena of Brighton and Hove and Mya Munyanduki (West Ridding Girld FC UK) for the recent COSAFA Women’s Under-17 tournament.
“We have players scattered all over the country — Binga, Beitbridge, Hwange, Mutare, you name it — and we are saying we are going to select the best. In fact, the process has already started.
“We also have our youngsters who are based outside the country, and these will be considered as well. Everyone must have an equal chance. We have been doing this with the other competitions that we have played. We are doing our best to spread the nets wide,” said Hunidzarira.
The Zimbabwe men’s and women’s Under-20 football teams were drawn to play hosts Namibia in their respective competitions at the upcoming Region 5 Games in Windhoek next month.
The Young Warriors were drawn alongside Angola, Malawi and Namibia in Group A of the football tournament that will be organised by COSAFA.
Reigning COSAFA champions South Africa headline Group B contains where they are set to rekindle their rivalry with old foes Zambia, Eswatini and Botswana. The top two teams in each of the pools advance to the semifinals.
Zimbabwe’s Young Mighty Warriors are also in Group A of their competition where they will face Malawi, Botswana and hosts Namibia who are the top seeds.
COSAFA champions Zambia are the top seeds in Group B of the women’s competition and will play South Africa, Eswatini and Angola.
The matches will be played at two venues, the Hage Geingob Stadium and UNAM Stadium in Windhoek from July 4-13.
“It is crucial that our age group teams get such opportunities at the regional level. It’s key for their development because they get to gauge themselves against their regional counterparts who are of the same age as them.
“Things are really opening up for our age group teams. We will arrange regional training camps for the selected players. We just had a meeting today (yesterday) where we discussed issues of training and camping,” said Hunidzarira.
Both football tournaments will be organised by COSAFA and will both form the regional championship in Southern Africa for the age groups, where new champions will be crowned.
This year there is no qualification for CAF continental competitions after South Africa won the TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations title in Egypt last month.
The competition is staged every two years.
The COSAFA Under-20 Women’s Championship made a return to the calendar last year for the first time since 2019 and was won by Zambia. The previous edition was claimed by East African guest nation Tanzania. Zambia are record 12-time winners of the regional finals in the Men’s competition, with defending champions South Africa claiming nine victories.
Zimbabwe are third on the list of success having been crowned COSAFA champions six times. Madagascar and Mozambique have won it once each.
