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ZIMBABWE’S Young Warriors ensured they finished their African Games campaign on a winning note when they upstaged hosts Congo in their final Group A match in Brazzaville on Sunday night.
The Young Warriors had seen their bid for a semi-final place go up in smoke when they lost by identical 1-0 margins to Burkina Faso and Sudan.
But on Sunday they turned on the screws on the hosts by silencing them with a 71st minute strike by Chicken Inn striker Tafadzwa Kutinyu. According to reports from Brazzaville, Zimbabwe also had rookies Abel Gwatidzo of Gunners and Harare City’s Emmanuel Takawira outstanding for the side.
Gwatidzo and Takawira were roped into the team at the 11th hour but coach Nation Dube was pleased with the way they quickly adjusted.
Dube had to deal with last-minute changes to the team after the withdrawal of some key players by Dynamos and FC Platinum who recalled their players, including first-choice goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva.
While the Young Warriors are out of the competition, Zimbabwe can still hope for some medals with the tennis stars Mark Fynn and Valeria Bhunu sailing through to the semi-finals after they won their quarter-final matches in the men and women’s sections on Monday.
Fynn beat seventh seed Clifford Enosoiebbe 6-2, 6-1 to book his place in the semi-finals that were pencilled for yesterday.
Fynn was expected to take on Alexis Kiegou.
The Zimbabwe Davis Cup member, who is seeded first in the event, has so far had a good running and hopes are high he will reach the finals. Bhunu was not to be outdone in the women’s section when she posted a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Dona Ahohabaga of Egypt in a match that had to be decided in the third set. Bhunu was set to meet second seed Sandra Samir of Egypt in the last four yesterday.
She also teamed up with Pauline Chawafambira to beat the pair of Sarah Adegoke and Osariemen Airhunmwunde of Nigeria 6-0, 6-1 to reach the doubles semi-finals.
Online Reporter