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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, Botswana, 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 celebrations of their Defence Day.
Zimbabwe and Botswana share cordial relations and both country’s 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 comeback, 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 the 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 sweet memories after he first visited the venue as a Zimbabwe Under-23 international with his team emerging victorious over Botswana back some 36 years ago.
“I won the Under-23 Africa Cup game in 1988 as a player, and today I win as a coach,” he said. I am really impressed with how my players carried themselves in the game.
“We came here carrying the right mentality. We wanted to win and we did just that. It was a very tough match if you look at it but in the end we claimed it.
“They followed the instructions right to the book 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 the Zimbabwe National Army side Black Rhinos and Airforce of Zimbabwe club Chapungu.
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