Zimpapers Logo

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S national Under-21 hockey teams met with mixed fortunes at the ongoing Junior Africa Cup in Windhoek, Namibia, with the men’s team now fighting for a respectable finish.

The tournament, which started last Friday, is running until next Monday and is serving as a qualifier for the Junior World Cup to be held later this year in India and Chile.

Top two countries in each section will progress to the world event.

For their first match, Zimbabwe’s teams played Tanzania with the men’s team posting a 10-1 victory over their opponents while the women’s team won 18-0.

Although they had a good start on Friday the men’s team went on to lose 0-11 to South Africa.

They are now scheduled to take on Namibia and Egypt in their remaining matches of the round-robin competition. It was the same story for the women’s team as they went down 0-3 to hosts Namibia in their second match on Saturday before beating Botswana on Monday.

Despite losing one of the three matches they have played so far, Hockey Association of Zimbabwe president, Humphrey Chigwedere, said the women’s side still stand a chance to fight for one of the two spots for the Junior World Cup.

The women’s competition is set for Santiago, Chile, from November 23 to December 4 and India will host the men’s event from November 1 to 11.

“For the ladies they will go for the play-offs after the round-robin competition. They are going to meet Namibia again and from the last time I spoke to them, if they beat Namibia they have a chance.

“For the men, what we can look for maybe is a medal finish probably number three because to qualify will be difficult.

“Egypt are playing well and it looks Egypt and South Africa are likely to qualify from the men’s side. But a medal finish is something within our reach,” said Chigwedere.

In 2004 Zimbabwe’s women qualified for the Junior World Cup held in Chile and they will be hoping for another qualification this year.

The tournament in Namibia is catering for teams from across the continent but most of the countries that were expected to take part withdrew from the event.