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Sports Editor
LIBYA were last night confirmed as Zimbabwe’s opponents in the semi-finals of the on-going Chan tournament in South Africa after beating Gabon 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out. The two teams were tied 1-1 after fulltime and the game had to go to the lottery in which the North Africans prevailed.
Libya upset the odds to reach the semi-finals of the 2014 Caf African Nations Championship at Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Extra-time could not separate the two teams.
The opening half produced little goalmouth action as both teams struggled on the offensive.
The first chance on goal came in the second minute after Romuald Ewouta Entsitsigui shot from an acute angle on the left, but he saw his shot saved by the Libyan goalkeeper.
Gabon came close on 14 minutes after Samson Mbingui’s shot crashed against the woodwork with a 20m freekick.
The opening goal of the match came in the 50th minute when Abdelsalam Omar cleverly lobbed the ball past the Gabonese goalkeeper.
Gabon were not deterred by that setback and scored from the spot in the 72nd minute after the referee adjudged Abdelrahman Fetori to have fouled Lionel Yackouya inside the box. Daniel Cousin converted from the spot to make it 1-1.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Andrew Langa, yesterday praised the Warriors for a job well done by qualifying for the semi-finals of the Chan tournament in South Africa.
Zimbabwe beat Mali 2-1 with goals coming from Simba Sithole of How Mine and Kudakwashe Mahachi of Chicken Inn. In a telephone interview from Johannesburg, yesterday afternoon, Langa said the boys had done the nation proud.
“On behalf of the Ministry and the Government I would like to congratulate the boys for playing so well. I was in Cape Town to give them morale support and I am happy that I took along $20 000 from CBZ Bank as a way to motivate them and they did well.
“At this stage I would like to call upon all Zimbabweans and the corporate sector to come forward and support the boys,” said Langa.
The Minister showered fans who came in their numbers to cheer on the boys on Saturday night.
“I would like to thank Zimbabweans based in South Africa. They came in numbers and one would have thought the team was playing at Barbourfields Stadium or Rufaro.
“I would also like to thank South Africans themselves too. Their flags were flying side by side with Zimbabwe’s, it really showed we are now representing the Sadc Region. As they proceed to semi-finals we would like to call upon the fans to go in numbers to cheer the boys, they must rally behind the boys. We are also grateful to the many who watched that match on television as I got so many congratulatory calls after the final whistle,” said Langa.
The Zimbabwe versus Libya semi-final is set for Wednesday.
Online Reporter