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Young Warriors’ Thomas Kadyaridzire (left), fights for the ball with Swaziland’s Ncwala Dlamini at Luveve Stadium in Bulawayo yesterday

Nkosilathi Sibanda Sports Reporter 
Zimbabwe 3-1 Swaziland
THE Young Warriors recovered from the disappointing draw in their first match against Mozambique on Friday to thump Swaziland at a rain-soaked Luveve Stadium yesterday. Goals from Thomas Kadyaridzire in the 38th and 64th minutes and Thembalethu Mthunzi, six minutes before time ensured all the three points for the home side who are now poised to advance to the semi-finals.

Swaziland’s consolation goal came in the 47th minute from Wandile Dlamini.

The empathic win by the host can be credited, in large measure, to two well-timed 46th minute substitutions by the technical bench led by Tafadzwa Mashiri, pulling out Lennon Bvochora and Anelka Chiwandire for Thembalethu Mthunzi and Denzel Khumalo respectively. The two strikers were tactically sound, placing the ball forward as the game reached fever pitch.

After a series of attempts at goal, Kadyaridzire opened the scoring after dribbling past a spread Swazi midfield, setting up Bukhosi Sibanda, who returned the ball and found Kadyaridzire at the right spot.

Kadyaridzire’s goal upped the tempo in the midfield with Zimbabwe exchanging complete passes through Bvochora, and captain Mathias Chodeva.

In 36th minute, Zimbabwe could have registered a quick second goal when Sibanda got a pass from enterprising Tatenda Muringani in the 18 yard box but his tame shot was saved by the Swazi goalkeeper Lwethu Simelane. So reliable was Muringani at the centre of the field that all the crucial attacks were his creation.

Kadyaridzire got Zimbabwe’s second goal in the 64th minute when he maximised on a pass from the right.

Mthunzi’s 84th minute cracker was enough to seal the Young Warriors’ win, much to the jubilation of the fans who erupted into song and dance.

Rains that fell at Luveve did not dampen the home crowd who came in numbers to support the Young Warriors.

The match almost turned nasty in the 76th minute when both sets of players were involved in a scuffle inside the Swazi box. Referee Keren Yocette booked Zimbabwe’s Trevor Zidoro and Swazi’s Dlamini for the fracas.

“Yes, we deserved to win this game. I thank God for this. I told my players to work on the counter attack so that we have a grip on Swaziland. They did just that,” Mashiri said.

“The substitutes I brought in, Mthunzi and Khumalo was a tactical approach that we employed. We’d noted that no one was using the flanks. We learned a lot from our first game when we drew with Mozambique. We corrected all the mistakes. The next match is a must-win.”

His Swazi counterpart Velekhaya Mthethwa advised his players to up their game.

“I think we were lacking mentally. The players lost concentration and allowed Zimbabwe to dominate. The high quality of play in this game really shows that football in the region has improved. I salute the Zimbabweans, they were a better team,” he said.

The Young Warriors’ next match is against Angola.