SOUTH African Premiership football side Ajax Cape Town are targeting a number of promising Zimbabwean players from Harare giants Dynamos and Ngezi Platinum Stars, headlined by Cameroonian striker Christian Epoupa Ntouba and Terrence Dzvukamanja, respectively.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
The club’s chief scout, Louis Diefaiera, has been in the country in the past week in the company of fellow scout at the team Patrick Mitangu on a mission to identify talent.
The duo watched the Castle Lager Premiership tie between Highlanders and Tsholotsho last week but was not impressed by any player from either side.
They then proceeded to Mhondoro where they watched Ngezi Platinum Stars demolishing Highlanders on Saturday.
On Sunday, they were in Harare watching Dynamos taking on Yadah FC, with the former winning 2-0. Ocean Mushure and Ntouba scored for the Glamour Boys.
Deifaiera, who returned to his base yesterday morning, said they had come to watch Epoupa and Mushure, adding that he was also impressed by right-back Peace Makaha and Phakamani Dube, who played as a makeshift left-back in the absence of the injured Carlos Rusere.
He said he would recommend them to the technical team for further assessment. “We are looking for a striker and Ntouba is a very good player who needs some polishing. Ocean is a good player, he scored a wonderful goal, the right-back and left-back are also good players. I will recommend them to the technical team which will make a final decision,” said Deifaiera.
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From the Ngezi team, Mitangu said they were impressed by Dzvukamanja, Tichaona Mabvura, Edgar Mhungu and Clive Augusto.
He said the club’s vision was to scout and develop young players and then provide opportunities for them to play football abroad.
Mitangu, who had initially raised concern before the match saying Mushure, who is now 32 years old, was not in the age group they were looking for, appeared to have a change of heart after the Dynamos skipper scored a beautiful goal at the stroke of half-time.
“We are looking for players who are between 18 and 26 years old. The vision is to develop the players and then provide opportunities for them. But I think Ocean is a very good player and we will find a way to see if he could be accommodated,” said Mitangu.
The Ajax scouts also watched Yadah FC’s Leeroy Mavhunga, but they appeared unimpressed by the young forward. “We also wanted to assess him, but I thought this was not his day. He didn’t impose himself on the game,” Mitangu said.
