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Ovidy Karuru

Sports Reporter
MIDFIELDER Ovidy Karuru believes he can use the COSAFA Castle Cup to relaunch his international career.

The 28-year-old Zimbabwe international feels he still has a lot to offer and is expected to be one of the top players at the tournament following a relatively good season with South Africa First National Division side AmaZulu.

Karuru, once a vital cog of the Warriors, has been overlooked in recent years. But he was given a new lease of life by interim Warriors coach Norman Mapeza and playing a cameo role in Zimbabwe’s AFCON qualifier against Liberia recently.

And now Sunday Chidzambwa has given him another opportunity. The AmaZulu midfielder believes the regional tournament will be a perfect stage for him to relaunch himself.

“It’s a good competition especially for the youngsters because this team is full of guys who are coming up,’’ said Karuru. “I think they should take it seriously, maybe they will get contracts outside the country.

“I encourage them to focus on the tournament and give it their best. “For me, as someone who is coming back to his best, I also have to take the competition seriously.

“You never know who is watching, so I have to take every game seriously. “The coach has emphasised that he has never lost a game in COSAFA. “He has encouraged us to win the tournament for him because he said he has never lost. So it’s a direct challenge to the players.

“We would want to go all the way to the final, but I think it’s not going to be easy. “We have to push, especially the youngsters, because for most of them it’s their first time playing such a tournament.”