HARARE After conquering the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region in the just ended COSAFA Senior Challenge football tournament, Zimbabwes gallant Warriors leave Harare for the east African hunting grounds of Nairobi, Kenya, tomorrow with one thing on their minds victory.
Warriors head coach Sunday Mhofu Chidzambwa announced a 22-member squad on Thursday that he hopes would overrun opponents in the Confederation of Eastern and Central African Football Association (CECAFA) Senior Challenge tournament which kicks off this afternoon.
Chidzambwa called up a different set of players from the one that was victorious in last months COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup in order to give the youthful players an opportunity to parade their skills on the international stage.
Among the new players drafted into the senior squad is former Warriors under-20 duo of Darryl Nyandoro and Nqobile Mpala who will team up with other rookies such as Ocean Mushure, Brian Mapfumo, Daniel Kamunenga, Thabani Kamusoko, Zephania Ngodzo, Tendai Nyamadzawo and Danisa Phiri.
The youthful Warriors side is expected to continue from where their more experienced colleagues left in the COSAFA Senior Challenge to ensure Zimbabwe take the mantle of undisputed kings of both the southern and eastern African regions.
Success in the CECAFA tournament will go a long way to restore national pride battered by the Warriors failure to make it to both the 2010 African Cup of Nations and FIFA World Cup tournaments in Angola and South Africa respectively.
Incidentally, CECAFA hosts Kenyas Harare Stars helped eliminate the Warriors then under the guidance of Brazilian coach Valinhos from both the Nations Cup and World Cup, beating them 2-0 in Nairobi before holding them to a 1-1 draw in Harare.
But this is a new Warriors outfit with a different set of tacticians who are fully aware of the pride and responsibility that goes with putting on the national green and gold strip.
Chidzambwa and his new assistant Norman Mapeza both tough as teak defensive players during their heydays who served the national team with distinction will be hoping to motivate their young charges to grab the chance afforded by the tournament to make a mark on their countrys football template.
The CECAFA Senior Challenge tournament ends on December 13.
Warriors squad:
Goalkeepers: E Sibanda (CAPS United), A Mukandi (Kiglon), T Dube (Gunners)
Defenders: Z Ngodzo (Highlanders), N Khanye (Lengthens), C Machona (Kiglon), O Mushure (Monomotapa), K Banda (Bantu Rovers), G Zhokinyu (Dynamos)
Midfielders: L Mtizwa (CAPS United), B Mapfumo (Monomotapa), T Kamusoko (Njube Sundowns), D Phiri (Bantu Rovers), T Mangezi (Gunners), N Alufandike (Dynamos), W Kupera (Shooting Stars), D Kamunenga (Monomotapa)
Strikers: N Mpala (Highlanders), D Nyandoro (Monomotapa), T Nyamadzawo (CAPS United)
Post published in: Football