Story by Anashe Murombedzi
Zimbabwe’s Young Warriors are hoping for a quick turnaround when they face Eswatini in their second match at the ongoing CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations COSAFA Qualifiers at Ngoni Stadium this Saturday.
The hosts are currently without a point in Group A after a tough 1-0 loss to Mozambique in their opener.
The Young Warriors need nothing short of maximum points in their remaining two matches to stay in contention for a semi-final spot.
This Saturday they face Eswatini who suffered a heavy loss to Comoros in the tournament’s opening match on Thursday.
Zimbabwe will be hoping to use home advantage to thwart the minnows after falling in their first match.
The other Group A match will see Mozambique taking on Comoros.
Meanwhile, Friday’s action at The Heart Stadium saw Angola thumping Botswana 5-nil while South Africa beat Zambia 4-nil in Group C matches.
At Ngoni Stadium, Malawi grabbed a 3-1 victory over Madagascar while Lesotho won 3-2 against Mauritius in Group B matches.
With three group winners and the best placed runner-up advancing to the semi-finals, every game will carry knockout intensity.
The top three teams at the ongoing COSAFA qualifier will progress to the CAF Under 17 Africa Cup of Nations.
