adminBulawayo got their goals through exciting Chicken Inn forward Moodley Njeleza, Total Banda and Lynoth Chikuhwa while Mash Central got their goals from hardworking forward Lancelot Maponga and Dexter Guvi. This year’s hosts had themselves to blame for the defeat after making two costly blunders towards the end of the match which Bulawayo capitalised on to seal a memorable victory.
Mash Central were the first to find target early in the first half and backed by a good crowd from their community they added the second goal before allowing complacency to override them which enabled Bulawayo to fight back and steal a crucial win.
Bulawayo who are under the guidance of former national team forward Agent Sawu, believe they can win the gold medal after they were eliminated in the preliminary stages of last year’s competition but they are not underestimating their opponents Midlands Province who are the defending champions.
“This year’s Games are very competitive and it has not been easy getting to this stage. We hope to take the gold medal to Bulawayo this year but it’s not going to be easy because we are facing the defending champions Midlands in the semi-finals.
“If all the provinces at this year’s Games have brought the right ages then our football is in the right direction because there is a lot of talent.We will take each game as it comes but we are definitely expecting a tough match against Midlands,” said Sawu.
Midlands progressed to the semi-finals after coming out second in Group B and yesterday they thumped Matabeleland South 4-0.
In the other semi-final, last year’s finalists Mashonaland West will clash against Mashonaland East as they tussle for a place in the final.
In the girls’ football semi-final, defending champions Harare province clash with Matabeleland South while in the other semi-final in-form Bulawayo face Mashonaland Central.
In boys’ volleyball, defending champions Harare Province beat Mashonaland Central 3-1 to book a place in the final against Mashonaland West who had earlier dismissed Masvingo by the same score line.
Harare volleyball team coach Elliot Mupariwa was happy with his team’s performance.
“The game was tight but we used experience to get the result and we are now looking forward to defending our title in the final,” said Mupariwa.
In the boys’ tennis semi-finals played yesterday Manicaland beat Mash West 2-0 while Harare dismissed Midlands by the same score line to set up a potentially explosive final tomorrow.
Harare will face Bulawayo in the netball semi-finals while Midlands clash with Masvingo in the other match.
Midlands are currently leading on the medals table with eight medals — three gold, two silver and three bronze with Masvingo coming second on three gold medals. After dominating the previous editions of National Youth Games, Harare has found the going tough at this year’s competitions and they have so far amassed five medals, one gold two silver and two bronze. Manicaland remained the only province yet to win a medal and their chances of winning one are getting slimmer by the day.
Online Reporter