JOHANESBURG The 2010 edition of the annual COSAFA Metropolitan Youth Championship, pitting Under-20 teams from the Southern African region, will this year move from its traditional base in South Africa to Botswana.Zambia are the defending champions of the regional youth tournament, after they beat three-time champions South Africa 1-0 in last years final, played at Johannesburgs Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto.
Tournament organisers revealed last week that the traditional year-ending tournament will this year be held in Gaborone.
This years tournament will be held on December 3-12, with all of the countries from the region expected to send teams, read a statement from the organisers.
Zimbabwe, who bowed out in the first round last year, are among those sides that have been regulars at the tournament.
Usually, participating teams are drawn into four groups, with the winner of each pool advancing to the semifinals.
South Africa remain the most successful side in the tournament, having one it in three times in five years – 2004, 2006 and 2008, in what can be attributed to their previous status as pernnial hosts.
The Young Warriors (2005), Madagascar (2007) and Zambia (2009) are the only other side that have recorded triumphs.
The developmental tournament has seen a number of stars being discovered, one of them being Zimbabwean youthful striker, Knowledge Musona, who came off the bench to smash a hat-trick when Zimbabwe triumphed 3-0 over South Africa in the 2005 final.
Post published in: Zimbabwe Sports News