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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Defence Forces (ZDF) Select put up a polished performance to outwit their Botswana counterparts and lift the Botswana Defence Forces Cup at the National Stadium in Gaborone, on Saturday.
Black Rhinos midfielder Kudakwashe Nyakudanga scored the only goal of the encounter to earn the Zimbabweans gold, in a match that was organised to put the icing on the cake of the neighbouring country’s Defence Day celebrations.
Zimbabwe and Botswana share cordial relations, and both countries’ Defence Forces Day celebrations have often featured the Defence Forces Cup, where soldiers from the two countries usually clash for honours.
And this time it was the ZDF Select’s turn to travel to Botswana, where they trooped into the National Stadium, with the BDF team proving very tough to handle.
But a 35th-minute Nyakudanga effort was enough to settle the showdown and put smiles on the faces of the Zimbabweans.
The hosts did try to launch a come-back, even crashing two efforts against the crossbar in the second half but their guests held on to their slender lead, which ultimately mattered. ZDF head of delegation Colonel Robert Muhambi hailed Nesbert “Yabo” Saruchera’s men for their efforts.
“This is a deserved victory, considering the effort we put to participate here,” said Col Muhambi.
“The game promotes and strengthens the already existing bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and Botswana.”
For Saruchera, the Botswana National Stadium brought back sweet memories after he first visited the venue as a Zimbabwe Under-23 international, with his team emerging victorious over Botswana some 36 years ago.
“I won the Under 23 Africa Cup game in 1988 as a player, and today I won as a coach,” he said.
“I am impressed with how my players carried themselves in the game.
“We came here with the right mentality. We wanted to win and we did just that.
“It was a very tough match but in the end we claimed it.
“My boys played according to what we told them. They followed the instructions to the letter and I am happy to see them winning.
“It is always good to win trophies and this is an important cup, I am happy.”
Saruchera fused players from Zimbabwe National Army side Black Rhinos and Airforce of Zimbabwe club Chapungu.
Both teams are currently playing in Division One, with Black Rhinos participating in the Northern Region Soccer League while Chapungu are in the Central Region.
They are both in good space and could as well seal their promotion back into the Premier Soccer League at the end of the year.
Online Reporter