AT just 16, Imaan Asani is already dreaming of representing Zimbabwe and making his mark beyond the country's borders after breaking into the high-flying Ngezi Platinum Stars Under-19 side competing in the Northern Region Soccer League.
The Form Four student at Wanganui High School has quickly emerged as one of the promising youngsters in coach Farai Tawachera's development side, which has held its own against more experienced and established teams in the second tier.
For Asani, however, football is not the only priority this term. The youngster is also writing his Form Four examinations, while juggling his studies with his first taste of senior competitive football.
"I am happy to be playing in Division One as a Form Four student. It's such a privilege because other young players did not get this chance," Asani said.
"So I want to grab this opportunity with both hands. I am still young and have more time to build my career and all I need is to keep working hard."
Asani's immediate ambition is to score his first goal for Ngezi and help the club mount a strong challenge for the Northern Region Soccer League championship.
Ngezi Under-19s went into this weekend's fixtures sitting third on the log with 40 points from 24 matches, eight points behind leaders Black Rhinos.
Although promotion would normally be the ultimate prize for a team chasing the Division One title, Ngezi's youngsters cannot be promoted into the top flight because the club's senior side is already competing in the Premier Soccer League.
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That, however, has not dampened the team's competitive spirit.
Tawachera has transformed the Ngezi development side into a formidable outfit capable of competing with older players, while also providing a pathway for talented youngsters to make the step towards senior football.
Asani is one of the beneficiaries of that pathway.
The Bindura-born youngster joined the Ngezi Platinum Stars Academy after his father, who works for mining giant Zimplats, created the opportunity for him to move to Ngezi.
He caught Tawachera's eye while playing for the academy and was subsequently promoted into the Under-19 team.
"I was part of the Ngezi Platinum Stars Academy and we played a game in April against the technical team and coach Farai Tawachera was impressed. He asked me to come and join the Under-19 team," Asani said.
"I trained with the team and I was registered for the second half of the season."
He made his Division One debut against Rangers, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute, an experience that has only strengthened his desire to establish himself.
"I made my debut against Rangers, coming in the 77th minute. The target now is to get my first goal and score more goals to help the team win the Northern Region Soccer League title," he said.
While his rise has been rapid, Asani comes from a family where football is deeply rooted.
His father played the sport, while all three of his brothers have also been involved in football. His eldest brother, Shareef Asani, is currently playing Division One football for Chingwere FC, while another brother was forced to abandon the game after suffering a knee injury.
"Football has been part of our family. My father used to play football and also one of my brothers. My eldest brother, Shareef Asani, plays football in Division One for Chingwere FC," he said.
"My other brother didn't go further because he injured his knee."
That family background has helped shape Asani's love for the game, but the teenager knows talent alone will not be enough if he is to realise his ambitions.
His dreams extend well beyond Ngezi and Zimbabwe.
"The big dream for me is to play for the national team and I also want to go further and play outside the country," he said.
For now, his focus is on taking every opportunity that comes his way, balancing his football development with his education and continuing to learn from Tawachera and his more experienced teammates.
At an age when many players are still waiting for their first opportunity in competitive football, Asani has already been handed a platform to test himself against senior opposition.
And he intends to make the most of it.
"I am still young and have more time to build my career," he said. "All I need is to keep working hard."
For Ngezi, Asani's emergence is another indication that the club's investment in its academy and development structures is beginning to bear fruit. For the youngster himself, the journey has only just begun.
