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King Nasama

FOR the second year running, Zimbabwe have been found wanting with the Young Warriors yesterday being eliminated from the Cosafa Under-20 tournament after they failed top Group C.

Instead it was Lesotho who advanced at the expense of the Young Warriors who only managed just one win in this year’s campaign and drew 0-0 against Namibia yesterday.

Zimbabwe also failed to go beyond the group stage at last year’s tournament in South Africa.

After yesterday’s last round of Group C matches, it was Lesotho who sealed their place in the semi-finals of the 2017 Mopani Copper Mines Cosafa Under-20 Championships following a 0-0 draw with Angola in their final Group C clash at the Nkana Stadium in Kitwe.

The result, coupled with a 0-0 draw between Zimbabwe and Namibia, means Lesotho top the pool and will now meet East African guest nation Uganda in the semi-finals tomorrow.

Yesterday’s results also confirmed that Egypt finished as the best runners-up for their six points in Group B and they will take on South Africa again in the other semi-final. The South Africans defeated Egypt on Monday to top the pool.

Both semi-finals will be played at the Nkana Stadium, as will the third-place play-off and final on Saturday.

Lesotho had to ride their luck at times for the draw as Angola, already ousted from the competition, pushed for a consolation win.

The best chance fell to Jelson, who saw his goal-bound effort cleared by Tankoli Seoli.

Zimbabwe, the latest regional giant to fall following the eliminations of hosts Zambia and Angola, will be desperately disappointed with another first round exit after they were also ousted in the pool stages 12 months ago.

They had to contend with heavy rain and a difficult pitch, King Nasama going closest in the first half as he just failed to connect with a Delic Murimba cross. Leeroy Mavungo also had an opportunity early in the second half, but he fired over the bar.

Namibia were dangerous on the counter-attack, but in the end neither side could find the back of the net.

FINAL GROUP STANDINGS

Group A
P    W    D    L    GF    GA    GD    Pts
Uganda    3    1    2    0    5    3    +2    5
Malawi    3    1    2    0    4    3    +1    5
Zambia    3    1    1    1    2    2    0    4
Swaziland    3    0    1    2    4    7    -3    1

Group B
P    W    D    L    GF    GA    GD    Pts
South Africa    3    3    0    0    5    1    +4    9
Egypt    3    2    0    1    4    2    +2    6
Mozambique    3    1    0    2    2    2    0    3
Mauritius    3    0    0    3    0    6    -6    0

Group C
P    W    D    L    GF    GA    GD    Pts
Lesotho    3    1    2    0    2    1    +1    5
Zimbabwe    3    1    2    0    1    0    +1    5
Namibia    3    1    1    1    2    2    0    4
Angola    3    0    1    2    0    2    -2    1