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Augustine Hwata Senior Sports Reporter
NATIONAL Under-20 team coach Jairos Tapera says he has been overwhelmed by the response from players who turned up for trails in Zvishavane ahead of the Cosafa Under-20 Youth Championships in Lesotho next month. Tapera called 30 players for camp but more turned up at the training base in Zvishavane to try their luck at getting into the junior national team.

“We had called 30 players in camp and everyone I picked turned up. More players are also coming to challenge for places and this is now straining our resources as we try to accommodate those who are not coming from within Zvishavane.

“There are also a few players who have also sought their own alternative accommodation in Zvishavane,” said Tapera.

The Under-20 team’s preparations for the regional youth championship were uncertain until Mimosa, the parent company of Premiership side FC Platinum, undertook to sponsor a two-week camp for 30 players only.

Tapera is building a new team after his earlier efforts to assemble a squad for an invitational tournament in Angola suffered still birth last month.

The team went into camp on Friday last week and the former Black Rhinos defender Tapera believes that the squad is slowly taking shape.
“We are hoping to play Shabanie Mine at Maglas tomorrow (today) and I am also trying to see if we can play as the curtain-raisers against the FC Platinum reserve side before their Premiership match at Mandava on Sunday,” he said.

Tapera is one of the assistant coaches in the Warriors and his pressing commitments with the junior national team saw him missing the senior team’s assignment in Tanzania yesterday.

“I could not travel with the Warriors because we have a limited time in camp with the boys. I think we should be closing the doors now and work with the players who are around.

“We cannot continue assessing new players instead of building a team now,” said Tapera.

A number of players have been drawn from Premiership sides and Tapera said he will not be comfortable in releasing them for the last round of action on Sunday.
“Personally, I do think that it will be wise to release the players to their clubs this week because we should be going to stepping up in our preparations before we leave for Lesotho,” said Tapera.

The Cosafa Under-20 Championship will be held in Maseru and Mefeteng with 14 countries set to participate. Zimbabwe have been placed in Pool D that features Botswana and Swaziland who will play each other on December 3.

Pool B, which has Angola, Mozambique and Madagascar, also has three teams while the other groups have four teams.

Defending champions Zambia are seeded in Pool C that has South Africa, Namibia and Seychelles. Hosts Lesotho, guests Kenya, Comoros and Madagascar make up Pool A.

Under-20 squad
Godfrey Chisango, Livingtone Genti, Nigel Pappias, Emmanuel Maura, Abel Gwatidzo, Tatenda Mukuruva, Ronald Pfumbidzai, Tinotenda Muskwe, Takudzwa Mahori, Wisdom Mutasa, Walter Musona, Albert Kusemwa, Donavan Benard, Ngcini Sibanda, Obi Nkomo, Praise Tonha, Tolbert Mthobeni, Liberty Chakoroma, Obery Hunda, Teenage Radebe, Pritchard Mpelele, Aaron Makuwerere, Michael Munaapi, Tino Kadewere