The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
TEAMS taking part in the 2018 Cosafa Under-17 Championships now have an added reason to do well in the competition as winners will qualify for the 2019 Total Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
The champions at the Cosafa tourney will represent the Southern African region at the continental finals scheduled for Tanzania next year.
The continental competition will in turn serve as a qualifier for the 2019 Fifa Under-17 World Cup in Peru.
Zifa communications officer Xolisani Gwesela confirmed Zimbabwe will be taking part in the tournament that will be held in Mauritius from 19 to 29 July.
Cosafa said given the additional importance of the regional event in 2018, the field for the finals has been expanded to a record 12 teams, up from eight in the previous two editions.
Zimbabwe finished bottom of Group A last year after falling to Malawi, Mauritius (1-0) and got their consolation goal from captain, Tinotendaishe Benza in an encounter against Botswana which they lost 2-1.
Last year the side was under the tutelage of Moses “Bambo” Chunga who was relieved of the post by Zifa, who replaced him with Triangle assistant coach, Tafadzwa Mashiri, who went with the Young Warriors as an assistant coach.
Holders Zambia were handed a tough assignment after being paired with regional rivals South Africa in Group B which also has Lesotho and Mozambique.
The host nation will be delighted with a draw that sees them avoid any of the southern African superpowers. They will take on Botswana, Namibia and the Seychelles.
The three group winners and best placed runner-up, determined first by the number of points obtained, advance from the group stages to the semi-finals.
A regional Under-17 championship has been played in various guises since the first in 1994 that was won by South Africa on home soil with a 2-1 victory over Mozambique in the final.
Malawi claimed the title in 2001 as they beat hosts South Africa 3-0, before a year later the latter regained the trophy after finishing top of a mini-group of teams.
Namibia claimed what was seen as an unlikely triumph in 2016, before Zambia took the trophy home last year.
