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Jairosi Tapera

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
YOUNG Warriors coach Jairosi Tapera says his charges are ready for another giant-killing act when they host Cameroon in the first leg of their CAF Under-20 Championship qualifier at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow. The coach is expected to announce his squad this morning. The West Africans, who arrived on Thursday night, said they still have scars of that painful defeat when they were booted out of the African Games qualifiers last year by the Zimbabwe Under-23 soccer team. So serious were Cameroon they had to go into camp for three months before coming here.

Tapera said his teenage Warriors are high on confidence. “We are gaining shape with each training that we are conducting. These youngsters are doing a wonderful job in terms of adjusting to what we want to do on Sunday,” said Tapera. “We have to win. We are at home and we have to do anything that we can to make sure that we come out with a positive result.”

The West Africans received a bye in the last round while Zimbabwe have already warmed up with 2-1 aggregate win against neighbours Botswana. And the visitors believe Zimbabwe have the advantage.

Cameroon media officer Albert Njie Mbonde yesterday told The Herald the Young Warriors have the edge. “We were eliminated by the Under-23 team of Zimbabwe so we know they should be even better prepared and we were preparing with a lot of serenity trying to rebuild a new squad for the Under-20 team because the technical staff is new so we started from scratch,” he said.

“We have a new team, new players and we know Zimbabwe should have a better team than us playing together as a team because they have played Botswana before so they have at least played two international fixtures and so we think that is an advantage for them.

“But for us it is essential to first of all get these boys to be familiar to high-level competition, such international games because at the end the final issue is getting players who can integrate with the senior squad, you remember that Cameroon will be hosting the 2019 Cup of Nations so we start building that from now.”

The West Africans have engaged Ghana, Burkina Faso in some friendly matches during the three months they were in camp in preparation for tomorrow’s match. Mbonde said they will give it their best shot.

“As Cameroon we always try to build the winning approach in our players so we take the match seriously even if we know it is going to be a tough match for us. “A draw wouldn’t be a bad score, but in Cameroon we don’t train players to play draws, but to win. A draw wouldn’t be a bad one. We train them to do everything they can to avoid a defeat so that’s the first major objective.

“I think the boys will keep their form and a lot of them have improved from when we started and we are just looking forward to the game,” he said. Tapera said they don’t want a repeat of the mistakes they made against Botswana when they lost at home and made life difficult for themselves.

“We are hopeful that this time around we have done enough in these two days to prepare ourselves than the previous match and I think this time we have a chance to win. When you play at home you have no choice, but to go all guns blazing to probably get as many goals as you can so that when you go away you have something to protect in the bag.

“We are very hopeful that we can get the goals that we want. “I have been with these development sides for many years now and I know how these youngsters react when going for a game.

“They are a wonderful group to work with. We are going along very well and every time they have a problem, they come to us and try to understand and get the information, it is very encouraging to have a group like this one.” The coach is likely to stick with most of the players who starred in that 2-0 win over Botswana.

Ngezi Platinum goalkeeper Nelson Chadya is a sure bet to start again in this match. So is Bantu Rovers striker Bhukosi Sibanda, who scored one of the goals against Botswana, as well as Triangle’s Darryn Phiri who is reliable at the back.

Sadly, the team will miss hardworking Dynamos defensive midfielder Peace Makaha who is suspended after accumulating two yellow cards.