WARRIORS STORM INTO FINAL WITH DOMINANT DISPLAY

Zimbabwe secured their place in the Mukuru Four-Nation Tournament final after a convincing 3-0 win over Botswana at Obed Itani Stadium on Saturday evening.

The Warriors were ruthless in the first half, netting all three goals before the break to take full control of the encounter.

They came out attacking from the first whistle, nearly opening the scoring in the fifth minute when Teenage Hadebe fired a volley over the bar from close range.

Zimbabwe’s rhythm was briefly interrupted in the 18th minute when Munashe Garananga limped off with a hamstring injury, paving way for Isheanesu Mauchi.

The breakthrough arrived in the 24th minute as Mongameli Tshuma calmly slotted home to register his first international goal.

Eight minutes later, Macaulay Bonne doubled the advantage, finishing off a well-executed set-piece.

Just before halftime, Bill Antonio crowned a brilliant individual performance by getting on the scoresheet after already providing two assists, sending Zimbabwe into the break with a comfortable lead.

Botswana showed more urgency in the second half and enjoyed spells of possession but struggled to create clear opportunities.

A chance to get back into the game came in the 65th minute after a defensive error led to a penalty, but Elvis Chipezeze produced a superb save to deny the hosts.

Chipezeze remained alert late on, making another crucial stop in stoppage time to ensure Zimbabwe kept a clean sheet.

The victory sees Zimbabwe advance to the final, where they will meet Zambia on Tuesday evening, while Botswana will face Malawi in the third-place playoff.