Courtesy: Newsday


Futsal team finally leaves

04/05/2012

The Zimbabwe national Futsal (five-a-side) football team finally left Harare last night for South Africa for a World Cup qualifier after initially struggling to raise funding for the trip.
The two neighbours clash at the Wembley Indoor Sports Complex in Turfontein tomorrow evening in a first round, first leg qualifier with the reverse fixture set for Harare two weeks later.

The match could be restricted to a one-legged affair after the Confederations of African Football (Caf) this week condemned the Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex as unfit to host the second leg fixture.

In response, Zifa have asked to have the tie reduced to a one-legged affair. Caf have accepted the offer, but said it is the South African Football Association (Safa) who have the final say.

Ironically, Caf allowed Zimbabwe to use Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex for their preliminary round qualifier match against Sudan last month. That tie was also restricted to a one-off match after Sudan had said they had no facilities to stage the reverse fixture.

Safa had not responded to Zifa’s request by yesterday.

Zifa communications manager Nicky Dhlamini said the team was expected to be on the road by 4:30pm after funds were finally secured for the trip.

As Zifa were battling to secure a sponsor, coach Frank Ferakazi and his men were trapped at Zifa Village in Mt Hampden.

“We hardly trained since we got into camp last week,” said Ferakazi. “For the better part of the week the training venue (Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex) was either booked for church services or for weddings. We also had challenges with transport and on Tuesday, the Futsal chairman Joseph Mabhonzo had to use his money to buy fuel for us to go to the training venue,” he added.

Despite the challenges facing his team, Ferakazi has vowed to bring home a positive result.

Final 15 travelling squad:
B Dhlamini, A Kunaka, C Muguzumbi, G Mugabe, T Chitsamba, I Kanyati, M Mabhacho, F Mukaira, T Tambala, G Nengomasha, M Muchenje, B Chapurura, M Phiri, W Kamudyariwa, V Mafusire.




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com