YOUNG WARRIORS TURN FOCUS TO MONTENEGRO AFTER MIXED START

Six goals, a winning start and an eight-goal thriller have marked Zimbabwe’s opening two matches at the FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival in Azerbaijan. Now, the Young Warriors turn their attention to Montenegro as they prepare for their third Group C encounter this evening.

Zimbabwe opened their campaign with a 3–2 victory over Cambodia before losing 5–3 to Ireland. The results leave Head Coach Backlyfield Chivenga’s side with a win and a defeat ahead of tonight’s match, which kicks off at 18:45 CAT.

Against Cambodia, Ngoni Tombo opened Zimbabwe’s account in the third minute before Adam Adamu added his name to the scoresheet in the 27th. Tombo struck again in the 31st minute to complete his brace, with his two goals helping the Young Warriors secure a successful start.

The opening victory gave Zimbabwe an encouraging platform as the players began their campaign against international opposition. It also provided an early demonstration of their ability to turn opportunities into goals, a quality they carried into their second fixture.

Ireland, however, presented a different challenge, emerging with a 5–3 victory from an entertaining eight-goal contest.

Munanawashe Bote scored twice for Zimbabwe, finding the net in the 16th and 24th minutes, while Tombo added another in the 27th. That took Tombo’s tally to three goals across the opening two matches.

Although Zimbabwe again scored three times, Ireland’s five goals settled the encounter and handed the Young Warriors their first defeat of the campaign.

The two matches have offered both encouragement and clear areas for improvement. Zimbabwe have shown they can score against different opponents, but tightening up defensively will be an important part of their response against Montenegro.

Reflecting on the opening fixtures, Chivenga emphasised the importance of applying the lessons from both matches.

“The winning start gave the boys confidence, and the Ireland match showed us where we need to improve. We want to keep creating chances while being more organised defensively. Our focus now is on putting those lessons into practice against Montenegro,” he said.

With another fixture this evening, the Young Warriors have an immediate opportunity to respond. The task will be to build on their attacking return while producing a more controlled performance across the pitch.

Beyond the results, the tournament offers valuable experience for Zimbabwe’s young players. Facing teams from different football backgrounds gives them opportunities to adapt, make decisions under pressure and test their skills in an international setting.

Tonight’s meeting with Montenegro is the next step in that process, with Zimbabwe seeking a second victory and a positive response to the Ireland defeat.

More News