By Tapiwa Chawagarira
HARARE — Zimbabwe’s Young Warriors made a winning start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Under-23 qualifying campaign after defeating Mauritius 2-0 in the first leg of their opening-round tie at the National Sports Stadium on Wednesday night.
Goals from David Chigwada in the 35th minute and Nisbert Muzenda in the 60th minute handed Zimbabwe a comfortable advantage ahead of the return leg in Mauritius next week.
The Young Warriors dominated possession and territory for long periods, with Mauritius largely forced to defend deep as Zimbabwe searched for an opening.
Their pressure finally paid off in the 35th minute when Chigwada broke the deadlock with a shot from outside the box that took a deflection before finding the back of the net.
The goal rewarded Zimbabwe’s dominance and gave coach Marc Sanchez’s charges a deserved lead going into the break.
Zimbabwe continued to control proceedings after the restart and doubled their advantage in the 60th minute through Muzenda.
The Ngezi Platinum midfielder produced an impressive individual effort after picking up a loose ball inside the box, weaving his way past several defenders before calmly finishing to make it 2-0.
The Young Warriors continued to push for more goals but ultimately had to settle for a two-goal cushion and a clean sheet.
Sanchez, who was taking charge of the Young Warriors in his first competitive match, praised his players for their performance but warned that the tie was far from over.
Zimbabwe will travel to Mauritius for the second leg on October 6, knowing that their two-goal advantage puts them in a favourable position but does not guarantee progression.
The winner over the two legs will advance to the second round, where Mali await.
The Under-23 AFCON qualifying campaign also forms part of the pathway to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, adding further significance to the two-legged contest.
With Chigwada and Muzenda providing the goals at the National Sports Stadium, the Young Warriors will now look to complete the job in Mauritius and keep their Olympic qualification hopes alive.
