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Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter

IT was not the start that Zimbabwe Under-21 hockey may have hoped for at the 2023 Africa Junior Cup (AJC) taking place in Ismaili, Egypt after both the men’s and women’s teams lost their opening encounters yesterday.

The men’s team lost 6-0 against neighbours South Africa while their female counterparts suffered a 3-0 defeat against the same opponents.

Zimbabwe Under-21 men’s hockey team

Zimbabwe men’s match was the first game of the prestigious championship before the hosts, Egypt went on to face Kenya in the second match of the males’ category. The hosts won the encounter 1-0.

In the women’s section, Zimbabwe’s loss was the first match before Egypt went on to win 2-0 against Kenya as well and register the perfect start to the competition on home soil.

South Africa celebrate against Zimbabwe

Today, Zimbabwe men will be looking to redeem themselves and get back to winning ways when they face Kenya while their female counterparts will be up against Egypt in what promises to be an interesting encounter. In other matches, on the men’s side, Egypt will face South Africa while in the women’s section, Kenya will be up against South Africa.

Four nations are taking part in both the men’s and women’s event after the late withdrawal by Ghana and Nigeria. The Junior Africa Cup will serve as a direct qualifier for the 2023 Junior World Cup, with the winner and runner-up qualifying. – @brandon_malvin