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Zimbabwe crushed 5-1 by Zambia
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Zimbabwe's Young Mighty Warriors will now battle for third place at the COSAFA Under-17 Championships after suffering a heavy 5-1 defeat to Zambia in the semi-finals played in Windhoek, Namibia on Friday.
The match exposed Zimbabwe's lack of adequate preparation, with the team only assembling for camp two weeks before the start of the regional tournament. The result was a stark contrast to their earlier dominant display, where they thrashed Lesotho 12-2 in the group stages.
Despite their spirited efforts, the Lindiwe Ndlovu-coached side struggled to match Zambia's pace and organization, conceding early goals and failing to recover against a well-drilled opponent.
Zimbabwe will now face Mozambique in the third-place play-off scheduled for Saturday, hoping to finish the tournament on a high and return home with a podium position.
The COSAFA Under-17 Championships have once again highlighted the importance of long-term planning and structured development in women's football, with calls growing louder for more support towards the junior national teams.
The match exposed Zimbabwe's lack of adequate preparation, with the team only assembling for camp two weeks before the start of the regional tournament. The result was a stark contrast to their earlier dominant display, where they thrashed Lesotho 12-2 in the group stages.
Zimbabwe will now face Mozambique in the third-place play-off scheduled for Saturday, hoping to finish the tournament on a high and return home with a podium position.
The COSAFA Under-17 Championships have once again highlighted the importance of long-term planning and structured development in women's football, with calls growing louder for more support towards the junior national teams.
Source - zbc
