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Esrom Nyandoro

Mehluli Sibanda in Moruleng, South Africa
FORMER Warriors’ midfield maestro Esrom Nyandoro has expressed his disappointment at the national Under-20 team’s exit from the Cosafa Youth Championship at the first hurdle.

Nyandoro, who is at the tournament as an analyst for television rights holders Kwese Sports, felt the Zimbabwean lads lacked co-ordination and likened them to people that just met at the airport for the first time ahead of the tournament.

“I was disappointed because I love my country. I was rallying the boys to win because we all know that our Under-20 and Under-23 sides were among the powerhouses in Africa, but I felt the boys did not click and were just disjointed. Maybe it might be the preparations that were not adequate. It looked like they just met at the airport and came to play,’’ said Nyandoro.

The former Warriors’ skipper said the up-and-coming players failed to showcase their talent. Nyandoro, at the request of coach Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu, spoke to the players just before they took on Malawi last Friday in their last Group B fixture in an attempt to motivate them following 1-5 drubbing by Zambia. He felt that he did a magnificent job, as Zimbabwe dominated the Young Flames, but could not score the number of goals required for them to remain in the competition.

Zimbabwe were knocked out of the competition they previously won six times when Zambia beat Malawi 3-0 at Moruleng Stadium on Sunday, meaning the Malawians progressed in second place. The Young Warriors required Zambia to beat Malawi 4-0 to stand a chance of making it to the knockout phase.

Meanwhile, the Cosafa Youth Championship concluded its group stage yesterday at Moruleng and Mogwase Stadiums. Zimbabwean referee Nomore Musundire was in charge of the South Africa and Botswana Group A clash at Moruleng Stadium last night.

In the two fixtures lined up for today, Zambia meet Mozambique at Mogwase, while Malawi are up against the DRC, with winners of the two matches making the last four.

The semi-finals are scheduled for tomorrow at Moruleng Stadium, which is also the venue for the final on Friday.

High ranking football officials from the region, including Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa, are expected to start arriving in South Africa’s North West province today ahead of the Cosafa elective annual general meeting to be held on Saturday. Chiyangwa has indicated that he will be contesting the regional body’s presidency and is expected to go head to head with, among others, Safa president Danny Jordaan.

@Mdawini_29