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Comment: All hail Pasuwa, Young Warriors

Sport
THE Young Warriors qualified for the 2015 All-Africa Games finals on Sunday night after managing a 1-1 away draw to Cameroon in Yaounde to go through 2-1 on aggregate.

THE Young Warriors qualified for the 2015 All-Africa Games finals on Sunday night after managing a 1-1 away draw to Cameroon in Yaounde to go through 2-1 on aggregate.

NewsDay comment

Zimbabweans celebrate this victory, achieved against all odds considering what coach Kalisto Pasuwa had to go through in the last month when he was preparing for the two matches.

Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs withdrew their players from camp because the All-Africa Games qualifiers are not on the Fifa calendar hence they had no obligation to release their players. It was ironic that suddenly, we had a situation where all the PSL teams were depending on their Under-23 players.

At one stage, Pasuwa trained with eight players, but that did not stop him and his lieutenants Saul Chaminuka, Nation Dube and Tembo Chuma from aiming higher.

Now they are going to be part of the teams in Congo-Brazzaville and whatever happens there is not an issue, but the mere fact that Zimbabwe are part of the finals for the first time since 1995, means a lot to the country.

Besides, it’s a huge personal milestone for Pasuwa – the man who holds the record of four consecutive league titles at Dynamos between 2011-2014. He has proved that it was no fluke at the time of first asking as Young Warriors coach.

This is the same Pasuwa who did not win a Champions League match away from home during his time at Dynamos and perhaps this was the reason why some doubted him. But after the 1-0 win at Rufaro Stadium in the first leg, the signs that something big was about to happen were there.

Although the economy is edging towards the abyss, big corporates can surely spare something for the boys that did duty in Yaounde. Zifa must make sure that the Young Warriors are well resourced by engaging corporates in time for the September football showpiece.

Tatenda Mukuruva, Blessing Moyo (the scorer), Ronald Pfumbidzai, Lawrence Mhlanga, Liberty Chakoroma, Nqobizitha Masuku, Godfrey Takwana, Carlos Rusere, Wisdom Mutasa, Pritchard Mphelele, Mgcini Sibanda and Malvin Gaki were the 12 players that did duty in Yaoundé, plus the other six who were on the bench.

We believe if once results from a national team improve, they become attractive to corporate sponsors.

Of course there are those waiting for Pasuwa and the Young Warriors to fail so that they can get the ammunition to blame everyone.

This is the time for Zimbabweans regardless of their station in society to come together and join hands and celebrate this momentous occasion for Zimbabwe and look forward to the future with positiveness.

Perhaps Pasuwa’s next big task is to take these players to Cosafa and blend them with senior players in June when the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers begin. In that case, Zifa must desist from interfering with the coaches. Theirs is to ensure all is well in the camp. At the same time, government must walk the talk by fulfilling its promises. They must not just wait for an opportune time to condemn Zifa when they are also failing to fulfil their obligations.