Zimbabwe (8) v (5) Australia
AUSTRALIA will fight for placings in the City Cup after being beaten in the quarter-finals by a talented Zimbabwe side, 8-5.
Zimbabwe (8) v (5) Australia
By Steph Rhoden
AUSTRALIA will fight for placings in the City Cup after being beaten in the quarter-finals by a talented Zimbabwe side, 8-5.
The Aussies, who came out onto the pitch holding an Indigenous flag, started strongly with Coen Slaughter showing his talent early by evading two opponents at once in his defensive half.
Zimbabwe pushed forward through Farai Murwira, who got through the wall to score the first for the match.
Murwira continued to dominate with a quick second, leaping in the air to celebrate with a fist pump before going on to score a hat-trick moments later. Australia looked under siege as Saidi goaled to make it 4-0.
Stevie Maloney did his best to get the locals on the board but couldn't find an opening, while Alex Marshall just missed over the bar. Zimbabwe stole the ball back to increase their lead to 5-0 at half time.
Pocket rocket Maloney came out firing in the second, determined to get his side an unlikely comeback win, and scored early to get the crowd on its feet but Zimbabwe replied instantly.
Enso Neghad worked hard one-on-one at the wall to set up Stevie for his second, and the Aussies began to take control of the play as the stands started to urge their players on. Zimbabwe managed to make good of their few opportunities in the second half and scored once more to hold off the surging Street Socceroos.
Slaughter cracked two from long range that would have broken fingers, but found the bar both times before Maloney stole another.
Kingswell Lunga proved too good in close and put the Africans out to a handy lead, but Slaughter finally found the back of the net, then dobbed one from the deep again. But the locals were running out of time, and the whistle ended any hopes of a remarkable turn-around in what was an electrifying game.
Photos: Photoworx