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MAN ON A MISSION . . . Cheetahs gasman Tafadzwa Chitokwindo (with ball) was on fire yesterday during the opening day of the Zimbabwe Sevens Invitational tournament at Harare Sports Club

Paul Munyuki Sports Reporter
THE Cheetahs got off to a good start at the Zimbabwe Invitational Sevens tournament yesterday, handing Hong Kong their first defeat of the two-day event.
Having beaten Hong Kong and Georgia, the Cheetahs were expected to play South Africa Academy late last night.
Despite starting on a low note, the Cheetahs managed to pick up the tempo after Hong Kong had shown good defensive shape in the early stages of the game.

It took the Cheetahs three minutes to find the Hong Kong in-goal and they did so in a wonderful way, thanks to a Tafadzwa Chitokwindo try, that was supported by a Lenience Tambwera conversion.

Zimbabwe scored three tries, all of them coming in the first half, and Tambwera had a 100 percent kicking record in the game.
Having scored their first try, Zimbabwe seemed to have found a formula of going around the Hong Kong defence and it was from the restart that pint-sized winger Stephan Hunduza broke off on the right for the second try.

Hunduza placed right under the posts to give Tambwera another easy chance to give Zimbabwe a 14-0 lead with just under a minute to play in the first half.

Chitokwindo was back to haunt the Hong Kong defence when he scored to give Zimbabwe a comfortable lead going into the break.
But the second half was not an easy one for the Cheetahs as Hong Kong gave a good account of themselves.

For the better part of the second half, Hong Kong were camped in the Zimbabwe half and did not allow Zimbabwe to score in that period.
Hong Kong got a consolation touchdown.

The Cheetahs went on to beat Georgia 24-10 in their second game with tries from Fortune Chipendo, Gardner Nechironga, Chitokwindo and Hunduza.

Georgia got their two tries late in the second half but the damage had already been done.
Chipendo was the first on the score sheet with a try in the right corner but Hunduza had difficulties with the boot from a tight angle.

Georgia tried to respond but captain Jacques Leitao’s defence was well marshalled and the Old Georgians captain led from the front with clean tackles.

Nechironga made it 10-0 with another one under the posts and this time converted to give the Cheetahs a 12-0 lead going into the break.