Young Warriors lift another Cosafa trophy

By Henry Makiwa
17 December 2007

It was a perfect weekend for Zimbabwean football teams as the Under 17 Young Warriors lifted their second regional title in Namibia while the ladies national team crushed their Zambian counterparts in their own backyard.

First to bring joy to despairing Zimbabweans was the Young Warriors squad who beat South Africa’s Amajimbos 4-2 on penalties in the Cosafa Under 17 final held at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Saturday. Reports coming from Namibia indicate that Rodwell Dhlakama’s boys, holders of the Anoca Zone Six Games Under-17 championship, came from behind to level the scores.

In the penalty shootout that followed, the South Africans missed two opportunities with the locals finding the target on four occasions. The win is particularly sweet as it compliments last week’s win by the Zimbabwe Under-20 side that defeated their South African rivals to win the Cosafa trophy in their category.

On Sunday, the ladies national team, the Mighty Warriors, turned on the power on Zambia at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka to advance to the first round of the 2008 African Women’s Championships Equatorial Guinea.

The Mighty Warriors arrived in Zambia carrying healthy 3-1 first leg victory achieved at Gwanzura two weeks ago and inflicted further damage on the Zambians in Lusaka. Zimbabwe beat Zambia 3 –2 and
will now meet old enemies South Africa in the first round of the African Championships in February next year.

Striker Marjory Nyaumwe carried the day for the visitors when she scored two quick goals and substitute Ntombiyelanga Ndlovu added the third one with a delightful strike from 25 metres out.

Also celebrating at the weekend was talismanic striker Murape Murape of Dynamos Football Club, who was crowned Soccer Star of the Year in Harare. Murape dazzled all in the just ended season, inspiring Dembare to lift the championship for the first time in a decade.

In winning the award Murape crafts his name on the list of a galaxy of stars that have graced the Zimbabwean soccer arena. Murape becomes the first Dynamos player to win the award since the turn of the millennium. Tauya Murewa, who won the award in 1995, was the last Glamour Boy to win the award. He also follows in the footsteps of legends such as Moses Chunga, Tauya Murewa, Memory Mucherahowa and George Shaya who have won the award from the Blue side of the capital.

For winning the award Murape, popularly known as “Monya-for-hire” by the legion of DeMbare fans, received a Z$1billon cheque and a Capri refrigerator.