Sports Correspondent

Zimbabwe bowed out of the 2025 COSAFA Cup on Tuesday, 10 June, despite an impressive 3-1 victory over Mozambique in their final Group A encounter at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

The win saw Zimbabwe finish level on four points with Mozambique and hosts South Africa. However, South Africa progressed to the semi-finals thanks to a superior goal difference of +1, compared to Zimbabwe’s 0 and Mozambique’s -1. Mauritius finished at the bottom of the group with three points.

Thandowenkosi Ngwenya was the standout performer for the Warriors, netting a brace in the first half. He broke the deadlock in the 26th minute and calmly converted a penalty in the 33rd minute to give Zimbabwe a 2-0 lead. Mozambique responded through Leonel Calsao in the 36th minute, but Junior Makunike sealed the result for Zimbabwe with a stoppage-time goal.

The match marked Zimbabwe’s only win of the tournament and their first goals, having drawn 0-0 with Mauritius and lost 2-0 to South Africa in earlier matches. Despite dominating the second half against Mozambique and pushing for more goals to improve their goal difference, the Warriors ultimately fell short.

With only the top team in each group advancing to the semi-finals under COSAFA rules, Zimbabwe’s campaign ends at the group stage, leaving them to rue missed opportunities in their earlier fixtures.