MASERU — Zimbabwe settled for fourth place after losing 0-2 to Angola at this year’s 2013 Cosafa Under-20 Youth Championships which ended in Maseru, Lesotho, yesterday. Mqondisi Dube Own Correspondent
The Young Warriors, beaten 3-4 by South Africa on penalties in the semi-final after a 0-0 draw on Thursday, once again failed to find the net from open play.
Zimbabwe coach, Jairos Tapera tinkered with his line-up in a bid to give fringe players game time while Angola showed their intentions, fielding their regulars. The Young Warriors’ best player in the tournament, Walter Musona, was left on the bench for the entire 90mins.
The first real opportunity of the game fell to Eddie Afonso who drove into the box before unleashing a shot, but Zimbabwe’s goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva pulled out the effort for a corner in the 20th minute.
It was all Angola in the opening half as Diogenese Joao’s run took him to the edge of the box in the 25th minute, but his angled effort was inches from the target. Traffic towards the Zimbabwean goal was heavy throughout the first half and the Young Warriors deserved to be trailing at the break.
But Angola were wasteful in front of goal meaning Zimbabwe’s ineptnees went unpunished. The second half resumed much as the first as the Angolans continued to press.
Carlos do Carmo went close with a free-kick in the 54th minute while Munyaradzi Diro almost beat his keeper with a sliced clearance. Although Zimbabwe were an improved side in the second half, this did not stop Angola from surging ahead in the 83rd minute.
Master of dribble, Manuel Afonso, swept home after being allowed plenty of room in the box. Angola killed the match as a contest deep into injury time when Joao Capemba rushed into the box to meet Manuel Afonso’s low cross. Meanwhile, South Africa beat Kenya 2-0 to claim the tittle.
