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Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S Under-23 football team will begin a new journey towards the 2016 Olympic Games today when they face neighbours Botswana in a friendly match at the National Sports Stadium in Gaborone this afternoon. The match is part of the country’s Independence Day activities as Botswana celebrates 48 years. The Young Warriors left the country on Sunday afternoon aboard a British Airways plane via South Africa, where they got a connecting flight to Gaborone.

The team’s assistant coach, Nation Dube, said he was optimistic of a good start with this new group of players, who are playing together in the Under-23 side for the first time this afternoon. However, most of the players in the team have considerable Premiership experience in the last two seasons as they have been featuring regularly for their teams.

The likes of Ronald Pfumbidzai, Liberty Chakoroma, Walter Musona, Praise Tonha, Emmanuel Mandiranga, Tafadzwa Kutinyu, Wisdom Mutasa and Carlos Rusere were part of the Cosafa Under-20 team in Lesotho last year.

“I have confidence in the team’s fitness level since most of the players play first team football at their respective clubs,” Dube said. The Young Warriors technical team, led by Callisto Pasuwa, selected a youthful side as they begin preparations for qualifiers of the 2015 Under-23 African Championship to be held in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 2015 Congo All-Africa Games and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The coaches named an 18-man squad which will be led into battle by Saul Chaminuka of ZPC Kariba and assisted by Hwange’s Dube in the absence of Callisto Pasuwa, who is in Egypt for a FIFA training programme for national team coaches and a review of the recent World Cup.

“We are starting to select the team for the All Africa Games and the Olympics hence we have to see the video when they come back,” said Pasuwa.
Qualifiers of the Under-23 African Championship begin next April and all players participating in the preliminary and final tournament must have been born on or after 1 January 1993. The top three teams of the DR Congo Under-23 African Championship will qualify to the Olympic Games in Rio 2016.

After the Botswana game, the Young Warriors are scheduled to play Tanzania and Morocco on 8 October and 16 November as part of their build-up.
According to the Botswana Daily News, the Zebras coach Peter Butler has also assembled a pool of young and new players in the likes of Kenanao Kgetholetsile of BMC, BDF XI’s Othusitse Mpharitlha and Gaborone United goalkeeper, Kenalemang Neo.

Young Warriors squad
Donovan Bernard (How Mine), Mukuruva Tatenda (Dynamos), Moyo Blessing (Dynamos), Tonha Praise (Triangle), Chakoroma Liberty (Buffaloes), Moyo Kelvin Njabulo (FC Platinum), Mhlanga Lawrence (Chicken Inn), Mavunga Keith Tafadzwa (ZPC Kariba), Pfumbidzayi Tapiwa Ronald (CAPS United), Masuku Nqobizitha (Bantu Rovers), Mutasa Wisdom (FC Platinum), Muzondiwa Brian (Black Rhinos), Musona Walter (FC Platinum), Mandiranga Emmanuel (How Mine), Kutinyu Tafadzwa (Bantu Rovers), Nyoni Gabriel (Highlanders), Mutizwa Knox (Highlanders), Rusere Carlos Rodwell (DC Academy)

Botswana Squad:
Wagarre Dikago (Extension Gunners), Kenalemang Neo, Edwin Olerile (GU), Obonye Moswate, Obuile Ncenga, Leutwetse Tshireletso, Otlantshekela Mooketsi (Township Rollers), Mosha Gaolaolwe, Pelontle Lerole (BDF XI), Boitumelo Mafoko (Jwaneng Galaxy), Thato Ogopotse, Bonolo Phuduhudu, Kabelo Seakanyeng, Othusitse Mpharitha (BDF XI), Lemponye Tshireletso (Mochudi Centre Chiefs) Galabgwe Moyana (unattached), Karabo Phiri (GU), Onkabetse Makganthai, Khumoetsile Kufigwa (Nico United), Segolame Boy (Township Rollers) and Lebogang Ditsele (Letlapeng), Jerome Ramatlhakwana (unattached), Mokgathi Mokgathi (BDF XI) and Kenanao Kgetholetsile (BMC).