Hosts Mozambique bow out of the TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations | COSAFA Qualifier after Botswana came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory in an entertaining game at the ABB Stadium on Saturday.
The results mean Botswana and Zimbabwe are separated by goal-difference at the top of Group A after both won their games. Zimbabwe hammered Eswatini 3-0 in an earlier encounter.
Zimbabwe started the game more determined to get an early goal. They kept piling long balls into the opponent’s half and taking long-range shots, but they could not find the target.
But Takana Cherera gave Zimbabwe a 1-0 lead after 26 minutes when he beat the Eswatini goalkeeper Andile Awu with a long range short. The half time score was 1-0 in favor of Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe made the perfect start to the second half when Nisbet Muzenda converted from the penalty-spot to increase the score to 2-0.
The penalty was awarded after Junior Mtsetfwa’s handball.Prince Ndlovu added a third on the 85 minutes when he put Kennedy Mupomba’s cross with a driving header.In the second game, Mozambique came into the contest against Botswana knowing they had a score to settle after losing their opening fixture against Eswatini.
Four minutes before the interval, Kelvio Neves jumped high to head home a cross from his skipper Fernando Jose to give the hosts a lead.
Botswana’s fighting spirit paid off when Gaone Japane tapped in an equalizer after 67 minutes made it 1-1.Botswana were then awarded a penalty after 74 minutes when the Mozambique goalkeeper brought down Japane in the box and Lusika Ratshukudu coolly converted from a sport kick in the 77 minutes, 2-1.
Only the top team in each pool advances to the semifinals along with the best-placed runner-up, with the two finalists qualifying for the continental finals that are due to be played next year.
Those in turn will act as the African preliminary tournament for the 2025 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Chile, with the continent to have four representatives.