By Tapiwa Chawagarira
BULAWAYO — Zimbabwe made an early statement of intent at the 2026 Confederation of School Sport Associations of Southern Africa (COSSASA) Games in Bulawayo yesterday, sweeping aside Namibia in both netball and football as the hosts began their regional campaign on a high note.
Playing in front of home supporters at White City Stadium, Zimbabwe produced commanding performances in the two ball games, underlining their determination to make the most of their home advantage and mount a serious challenge for honours.
The Zimbabwe Under-17 netball team provided the biggest margin of victory on the opening day, overwhelming Namibia 48-19 in a one-sided encounter.
The hosts quickly established control and maintained their dominance throughout the match, with their attacking play and defensive organisation leaving the Namibians struggling to keep pace.
Zimbabwe’s Under-18 boys’ football team was equally impressive, although their victory was built on a more measured approach.
The young Warriors kept Namibia at bay with a disciplined defensive display before finding the breakthrough twice, registering a 2-0 victory and collecting maximum points from their opening assignment.
The two victories gave Zimbabwe the perfect start to an event that brings together young athletes from across Southern Africa, with South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini also among the participating countries.
For the hosts, the opening results provide an early boost as attention now turns to the athletics program, which gets into full swing today.
Zimbabwe will be hoping that the momentum generated by the successful opening day spills over into the track and field events as the COSSASA Games continue in Bulawayo.
With the tournament still in its early stages, the hosts have already made it clear that they intend to compete for more than just home-ground pride.
