OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 2.00pm.
SENIOR Dutch coach Clemens Westerhof takes his magic soccer wand to Swaziland this weekend hoping to produce another win for Zimbabwe.
Since assuming command this year of the perennial under achievers, Westerhof has stopped the rot with four victories and two draws. The most notable win came in Johannesburg against South Africa.
Swaziland, 56 places behind Zimbabwe in the world rankings, stand between the Warriors and a place in the semi-finals of the Castle Cup Southern Africa championship.
The only previous competitive meeting came 15 years ago in a preliminary tie for the 1986 African Nations Cup and Zimbabwe romped to an 8-1 aggregate triumph.
It promises to be much closer on Sunday at the Somhlolo Stadium, a ground that lies in the heart of the beautiful Ezulwini Valley and can barely accommodate 20000 spectators.
While Zimbabwe received a first-round bye, Swaziland won a competitive match for the first time in six years with a 3-1 thrashing of neighbours Mozambique.
Victory was achieved through two goals from midfielder Tholeni Nkambule, at 33 the oldest footballer on view, and one from Dennis Masina, at 16 the baby of the Swazi squad.
After tumbling at the first hurdle in two previous appearances, the Swazis defied their lowly status by tearing at Mozambique like men possessed and surrendered the initiative only when reduced to 10 men.
Jerry Gamedze was dismissed for trying to leave an imprint of his studs on a Mozambican leg and automatically misses the second quarter-final. Angola pipped Lesotho 1-0 in the first two weeks ago.
Zimbabwe hope Turkish club Bursaspor will free inspirational defender and captain Norman Mapeza from pre-season training, but European-based strikers Adam and Peter Ndlovu and Agent Sawu are unavailable. — AFP
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