Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda
Zimpapers Sports Club
SEVEN years after they last climbed the podium to their gold medals, Zimbabwe’s Warriors will be desperate to rise once more to the summit of the Southern African game when they begin their 2025 COSAFA Cup campaign with a cagey assignment against Mauritius this evening.
The match at the Free State Stadium in Mangaung (Bloemfontein) kicks off at 6pm.
Zimbabwe last tasted success when the tournament’s most successful coach, Sunday Chidzambwa, guided them to their then-record sixth title at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. Chidzambwa (2003, 2009, 2017, 2018) has won four of the Warriors’ six COSAFA Cup titles with his late young brother Misheck having kick-started Zimbabwe’s dominance of the competition in 2000 while Charles Mhlauri weighed in with the other championship in 2005.
As they look to bounce back to championship success, the Warriors have taken a bunch of rookies for this year’s tourney after ZIFA prioritised development.
There was, however, an adjustment to the squad announced last week.
Scottland forward Nathan Mutasa was on standby for the COSAFA tournament and was immediately drafted in when it was discovered that Dynamos’ Vusa Ngwenya did not have travel documents.
However, national Under-20 coach Simon Marange, entrusted with coaching Zimbabwe in Mangaung, is refusing to talk about individuals, as he is focused on making the whole squad click.
Marange was tasked to guide the Warriors through the COSAFA Cup because Michael Nees is in Morocco with the regular senior team, who face Burkina Faso in a high-profile friendly in Casablanca tomorrow.
“Look, we have a squad of 23 players, so I prefer not to talk about individual players.
“I prefer to talk about the whole squad,” Marange told Zimpapers Sports Hub.
Mutasa’s late inclusion in the COSAFA squad caused mixed reactions from across the football fraternity, but it emerged that the 21-year-old was initially one of the players placed on standby.
His chance came when it was discovered that Ngwenya’s travel documents were not in order.
“These are young players, so we also have to be very aware of how we talk about them and what we say about them and how we approach small things like these,” Marange said.
“So, I prefer to talk about the squad that we have, which is very exciting. We have a lot of exciting players that we are looking forward to seeing at this stage.
“We want to see how they will perform and how they will adapt. Are they able to learn? Are they able to get better with every moment?
“That is the big challenge,” added Marange.
The youthful gaffer, who got a glimpse of what Mutasa can do when the midfielder spent three months at SuperSport United, insists that Zimbabwe are at the COSAFA Cup to compete, even as the main thrust is to develop players.
“We have to compete to win.
“We’re still representing the nation, so there is obviously that pressure that we’ve taken upon ourselves that we definitely understand. I grew up watching Zimbabwe win COSAFA tournaments as well, those were great times.
“And it’s always been a tournament that we’ve done well in. So obviously there’s a lot of responsibility on the young shoulders of these players,” revealed Marange.
However, it looks like the new ZIFA, under Nqobile Magwizi, have gone back to basics and just like the association did in 2005, and have opted for the development route.
“This is one of the ways we’re trying to assist players to take those steps and obviously looking at the future of the Warriors. So, yeah, we’re obviously taking a different stance with slightly different objectives.
“But I do believe that also young players have to be developed and learn how to compete to win. So, we will compete to win.
“That’s a given. Every game we go out there, we’ll compete to win.
“However, we still have to look at the objectives and say what are we really trying to get out of this tournament in terms of the squad composition?
“What does the squad look like? How do we want them to perform? What do you want to see from them? So, there will be challenges for me and pressure to go and compete to win.
“That’s the best way to develop young players, to give them the responsibility, to give them the accountability. But the most important thing for me is that we are the youngest squad in the tournament.
“We have an average age of 21. And we need to look at the possibility of exposing these players and giving them opportunities to move to other leagues,” said Marange.
Mozambique and hosts South Africa are also in the same group with Zimbabwe.
The Warriors will face Bafana Bafana on Saturday in their second group game before concluding with a date against Mozambique on Tuesday.
Zimbabwe squad:
Goalkeepers: Martin Mapisa (MWOS), Joseph Kaunda (Manica Diamonds), Tatenda Chikohwero (Ngezi Platinum Stars)
Defenders: Arthur Kaseke, Tashinga Mashonganyika (Ngezi Platinum Stars), Allan Chapinduka, Simbarashe Takaedza (TelOne), Andrew Mbeba (Highlanders), Kurainashe Musanhi (Crystal Palace)
Midfielders: Prosper Padera (SJK Seinajoki), Menzi Mazwi (Birmingham City), Nathan Mutasa (Scottland), Junior Makunike (Simba Bhora), Nisbert Muzenda (Ngezi Platinum Stars (Ngezi Platinum Stars), Prince Ndlovu (Highlanders), Kennedy Mupomba (Chelmsford FC), Calvin Chigara (TelOne)
Forwards: Tinotenda Meke (Simba Bhora), Mafios Chiweta (Highlanders), Tanaka Munemo (Ngezi Platinum Stars), Thando Ngwenya (FC Platinum), Tanaka Cherera (Bury), Denzel Mapuwa (GreenFuel)
Peter Tanyanyiwa