adminZIMBABWE’S Young Warriors were forced to battle their way from behind to secure a point in their opening Metropolitan Cosafa Under-20 Youth Championships Group D encounter at Molepolole Sports Complex last night.
Substitute Roy Mwenga rose from the bench to rescue a crucial point for Zimbabwe in the 59th minute, five minutes after he had been introduced for Gabriel Nyoni.
Tricky winger Hendrick Somaeb had thrust Namibia into the lead in the 51st minute.
In an earlier match Angola overcame fighting Madagascar 1-0 and the Young Warriors’ result left them third on the group standings courtesy of the alphabetical order while elsewhere in Group C, South
Africa thumped Mauritius 4-0 and champions Zambia were held to a 3-3 draw by Tanzania.
Crucially for Taurai Mangwiro’s charges, they would now have to beat Angola on Monday to stay in contention for a place in the semi-finals as only the group leaders advance to the last four.
But if their first half showing is anything to go by then the Young Warriors for whom England-based forward Trevor Mutero shrugged off a groin injury but failed to live up to expectations, will have a lot a of work to do.
The Young Warriors soon found themselves on the back foot as early as the third minute when skipper Edwin Nkomo’s blind pass landed into the path of Namibia captain Sydney Urikhob and only outstanding goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga saved him the blushes when punching the Namibian’s effort for a corner.
In the 14th minute Mateyaunga was called into service again when he rushed off his line to thwart the dangerous Urikhob.
Urikhob then teed up strike partner Petrus Shitembi in the 27th minute but he too found the Young Warriors goalkeeper on guard.
And when Shitembi managed to beat Mateyaunga with a ferocious 20 metre drive a minute later, the woodwork was his stumbling block as Zimbabwe breathed a sigh of relief.
The Namibians were now clearly the dominant side but they had to wait until early into the second half for their dominance to pay off — with Somaeb getting to the end of a swift counter raid that caught Nkomo and his defence at sea.
The striker then drew Mateyaunga off his line and placed his shot into the far corner.
However that goal seemed to have jolted the Young Warriors to wake up from their slumber as they slowly crept their way back into the game.
Mangwiro, stunned by the way the Namibians were dominating, also made two changes inside three minutes, first bringing in Talent Chawapihwa for Marvelous Makamba and Mwenga for Nyoni.
After those changes Monomotapa midfielder Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo got the edge in the midfield battle and was creating a number of good chances which his strikers could not make use of with Mutero the chief culprit.
As Zimbabwe poured forward in numbers in search of an equaliser, the goal duly arrived when centre back Proud Zireni found Mwenga with a headed pass which the Buffaloes striker nodded home with a flashing header that flew past Namibia goalkeeper Collin Ndjai.
Ndjai then made a brilliant save three minutes later to deny Chitiyo as the Young Warriors who were also soured in by the small but noisy band of Zimbabweans resident here upped their game.
But the Young Warriors could have still fallen to a sucker punch four minutes from time. Somaeb once again drew a badly exposed Mateyaunga from his line but with an empty net before him, unbelievably sent his effort over.
Mangwiro and his boys knew they had survived to fight another day and the Monoz coach will certainly ring some changes as he goes for broke against Angola on Monday.
TEAMS:
Zimbabwe: Tonderai Mateyaunga, Willard Kalongoda, Kuda Mahachi, Nqobizitha Masuku, Edwin Nkomo, Proud Zireni, Charles Mukanhairi, Marvelous Makamba (Talent Chawapihw 52nd minutea), Ronald Chitiyo, Trevor Mutero, Gabriel Nyoni (Roy Mwenga 54th minute).
Namibia: Collin Ndjai, Edmund Kambanda, Neville Tjiueza, Alfeus Handura, Petrus Shitembi (Salom Pamp 81st minute), Robinson Iyambo, Sydney Urikhob (Randall Goagoseb 89th minute), Mike Sinvula, (Benson Shilongo 75th minute) Okeri Maekopo, Hendrik Somaeb, Innocent Tembo
Online Reporter