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OUTGOING Zimbabwe coach, Callisto Pasuwa, says his troops’ dreams to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games were destroyed by poor preparations for their showdown against South Africa.

The South Africa Under-23 national team powered to an impressive 3-0 win in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday night for a comprehensive 4-1 aggregate victory to qualify for the Eight-Nation CAF Under-23 Championships in Senegal.

Pasuwa only joined the team on the final day of their preparations, having walked out because of his never-ending dispute with ZIFA who have not played him for the year that he has spent coaching the Young Warriors and the senior national team.

The Young Warriors also briefly boycotted training on Wednesday when their lunch wasn’t served at the lodge they were camped because the bill hadn’t been paid.

Saturday’s match was Pasuwa’s last game in charge of the Young Warriors and the senior national team, after the coach finally ran out of patience with his employers, who have not paid him for his services. Angry Zimbabwean football fans took to social media on Saturday to vent their frustration, after this failed campaign, and the phrase ‘South Africa 3, ZIFA 0’ was trending.

And Pasuwa agreed with them.

“We had shoddy preparations, coupled with injuries in the second half, hence the defeat,” said Pasuwa.

A brace by Keegan Dolly and another goal Gift Motupa powered South Africa Under-23 to the African finals. — CAJ News/Supersport.