HARARE, Apr. 7 (NewsDay Live) – Zimbabwe’s Under-15 boys and girls teams have been eliminated from the African Schools Continental Championships finals after failing to register a win in their respective group stages.
Both teams will now compete in placement matches for fifth and sixth positions.
The boys, however, delivered encouraging performances despite their early exit, showing resilience against some of the continent’s top emerging talent.
They opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Uganda before playing out another 1-1 stalemate with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A narrow 2-1 defeat to Morocco in their final group match ultimately sealed their elimination, although their displays pointed to potential for future growth.
In contrast, the girls endured a more difficult campaign, struggling against physically stronger opponents.
They began with a 2-2 draw against Morocco, but suffered a 1-0 defeat to the DRC before falling 3-1 to Zambia in their final group match.
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Earlier in the tournament, the girls’ coach had indicated she would avoid placing undue pressure on her players following their opening result, opting instead to protect their confidence. However, that approach did not translate into improved performances, particularly in the loss to Zambia where Zimbabwe were second best.
Across both teams, physicality proved a decisive factor, with Zimbabwean players appearing smaller in stature compared to their opponents, impacting their ability to compete effectively in duels and sustain intensity.
Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) president said the tournament is part of a broader long-term development strategy.
“The more competitions we participate in, the better we become in identifying our problems and areas that need improvement,” he said.
“Our broader vision is to establish centres of excellence in each province, feeding into a national centre for elite development.”
His remarks highlight the importance of increased exposure and structured development pathways as Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen its junior football systems.
In the girls’ competition, Zambia and Morocco advanced to the next stage, while Uganda and Morocco progressed in the boys’ category following dominant group-stage performances.
Zimbabwe will now aim to finish their campaign on a positive note in the placement matches while gaining valuable experience from the tournament.
Results
Girls
Zimbabwe 2-2 Morocco
Zambia 3-1 DRC
Zimbabwe 0-1 DRC
Morocco 2-1 DRC
Zimbabwe 1-3 Zambia
Zambia 1-0 Morocco
Boys
Zimbabwe 1-1 Uganda
Zimbabwe 1-1 DRC
Zimbabwe 1-2 Morocco
Morocco 6-1 DRC
Uganda 6-0 DRC
Uganda 3-0 Morocco