HARARE The Zimbabwe Warriors' technical department is hopeful that the senior mens football team will do the nation proud at the invitational COSAFA Castle Challenge Cup tournament.Zimbabwe hosts the 12th edition of the tournament that will see 14 SADC member countries participating from 17 October to 1 November and the matches will be staged at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo and Rufaro Stadium in Harare.
The Warriors, three-time COSAFA champions, are in Group A together with Lesotho and Mauritius both of whom are yet to win the regional championship. Zimbabwe will set the ball rolling against Mauritius at Rufaro Stadium on October 17. Group B has Swaziland, the Comorros, Seychelles and Botswana.
Although Zimbabwe look favourites to win the three-team group, current trends have shown that the period of the big and small boys in regional soccer is long gone. Warriors assistant coach Joey Antipas feels that Zimbabwes chances of advancing to the last eight of the competition are bright although the former Motor Action mentor is wary of the consequences of underestimating the threat which Mauritius and Lesotho pose.
Our chances of making it to the quarter-finals are very bright. However, we should not underestimate the two teams as losing to minnows has become common in international football. We need to remain focused and we will succeed in our mission, noted Antipas.
All 33 players called up to the provisional squad are in camp and have responded positively to the training, leaving the technical team satisfied with the teams preparations for the gruelling tournament.
Im happy that all the players who were selected have reported for camp. This makes our preparations a whole lot easier and as you can see the players are fired up and raring to go, said Antipas.
Winners from the two groups will clash in the fourth quarter-final while the other quarter-finalists are South Africa, who will meet Angola, while Zambia will take on Namibia, and Mozambique fight it out with Malawi.
The quarter-finals will be played in Zimbabwe as the country seeks to maximise on the event that they are using as a dress rehearsal ahead of the 2010 World Cup finals that South Africa is playing host to.
Despite the vast improvement made by countries such as Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and others, it appears the real battle will still boil down to the regions traditional big four Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa and Angola who have each won the title thrice.
Post published in: Football