The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda/Nqwele Dube Sports Reporters
Zimbabwe Under-20 1 – 0 Namibia Under-20
ZIMBABWE have booked a place in the boys soccer final of the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games following a win over a 10-man Namibia in a semi-final clash played at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
A 66th minute strike by Learnmore Muyambo, a Copa Coca-Cola winner with Chemhanza High School last year guaranteed Zimbabwe of a place in the final.
Namibia played the last 16 minutes of the match with 10 players after defender Baloyi Tsandib was sent off by Lesotho referee Retselisitsoe Molise for a second bookable offence.
The Young Warriors will now meet the marauding Zambians in the fight for a gold medal at Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon. Zambia hammered Malawi 4-0 in an earlier last four match at the same venue. Namibia and Malawi clash in a bronze medal decider at Barbourfields Stadium this morning.
Zimbabwe had started the match brightly and thought had won a penalty in as early as the third minute when Lennon Bvochora went down under challenge inside the box, only for Molise to issue a yellow card to the Zimbabwean forward for diving.
The Young Warriors were not deterred as they exerted pressure on the Namibian goal. In a space of a few minutes, Bvochora and Bukhosi Sibanda wasted glorious opportunities to open the scoring for the home side.
Namibia started to find their way back into the match, Katiti Hakuria trying to chip the ball over Zimbabwean goalkeeper Kelvin Shangiwa when he was allowed space to have a go at goal.
Zimbabwe dominated play for most parts of the first half but failed to make good use of any of them, Sibanda and Tatenda Muringani the chief culprits.
Tafadzwa Mashiri, the Young Warriors coach made a change as the resumption of the second period with Denzel Khumalo coming in for Muringani. Khumalo’s free kick from outside the box soon after coming in proved not strong enough to cause problems for Namibian goalkeeper Donovan Gainub.
As Zimbabwe continued pressing forward, Thomas Kadyaridzire saw his effort go over the bar after being nicely set up by Bvochora.
Tsandib earned the first of his two yellow cards for a rough tackle on Kadyaridzire.
Venevineja Tjikundi almost caught Zimbabwe napping in the 57th minute, Zimbabwean goalkeeper Shangiwa doing well to tip the ball over for a corner kick.
With the match seemingly headed for penalties, defensive link Muyambo delivered the all important goal for Zimbabwe, punishing the Namibians for failing the clear with sweet timed strike into the nets.
Namibia were reduced to 10 players, Tsandib given his marching orders for his violent conduct towards Sibanda.
Namibia tried by all means to find an equaliser to force the match into the dreaded shootouts but the Zimbabwe defence stood firm to preserve their one goal advantage which they successfully did.
Mashiri said he was looking forward to what he believes is going to be a tough final against Zambia. The Young Warriors coach raised concern about fatigue as his players will be playing a third match in the same number of days.
Zambia’s boys football team continued with its fine run at the African Union Sports Council Region Five Youth Under-20 Youth Games when they booked a place in the final with another good showing against Malawi at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
The Zambians will face hosts Zimbabwe in the final match of the tournament after the latter got the better of Namibia 1-0 in another semi-final played at the same venue.
It was joy for Zambian coach, Hector Chilombo who immediately declared the gold medal was now theirs to lose.
Chilombo said they made their intentions known from the first game against South Africa, which they won 6-1 and have not looked back.
They have won all their games and have scored 16 goals in the four matches they have played.
“I think we were pushing for the final and now that we are in, we feel we have a big chance of winning gold.
“We have a programme that sees us go around the country searching for talent every year and I think it has contributed positively to the team’s performance but on the whole Zambian football is on the high at the moment,” he said.
Malawi’s coach, Deklerk Msakakuona said his charges went into the match scared of Zambia because of their earlier performances.
“Zambia played brilliantly and for us we just have to look forward to fighting for the bronze tomorrow,” he said.
