MAURITIUS turned themselves into the toast of Zimbabwe’s football fans with a brave display at Rufaro against Lesotho that helped the inactive Warriors qualify for the quarter-finals of the Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup.The Indian Ocean islanders received a standing ovation from a good crowd at Rufaro that cheered their every move knowing fully well that the fate of their beloved Warriors lay in the hands of little Mauritius.Lesotho 1- 0 Muritius

There had been fears that Mauritius would not apply themselves fully to the challenge given that the Indian Ocean islanders were already out of the competition.Reports that some of the Mauritius players were even drinking beer — during a reception hosted by the Mayor of Harare Much Masunda at Town House on Tuesday night — fuelled the fears that they would just turn up at Rufaro like lambs being led to the slaughter chamber.

Lesotho needed to win by at least 3-0, to force the organisers to draw lots to decide the winner of Group A, or, at best, win by at least four goals or 4-1 or better, to go through by virtue of a superior goal difference over the inactive, and clearly nervous Warriors.Mauritius had the fate of the Warriors in their hands, needing to beat Lesotho or restrict them to a score that was less than a three-goal winning margin, for them to deny the Crocodiles a place in the last eight and send the host nation through.

A draw would also have sent Zimbabwe through.The Warriors, who beat Mauritius 3-0 at Rufaro on Saturday, made life difficult for themselves by being held to a 2-2 draw by Lesotho at the same stadium on Monday, with the Crocodiles scoring twice from penalties.A good crowd, including hundreds of school kids, came to Rufaro and they openly backed Mauritius, cheering every move by the Indian Ocean islanders, who turned back the favour with a committed display.
They mig
ht have been out of the competition but they played with the spirit of a team that was still in contention and, if ever there was an award for Fair Play in this tournament, it certainly should go to Mauritius.They were committed in their tackles, they kept their defensive lines intact and they played basic football in which they frustrated Lesotho with their application.

They might have lost yesterday’s tie, again in controversial circumstances when the referee somehow overruled his assistant’s decision for an offside and gave Lesotho a free-kick on the edge of the box, but they deserved to be feted as heroes.With the match seemingly headed for a draw Mothoana Bokang converted a free kick in the 89th minute to give Lesotho victory and, although there was still five more minutes of added time, the Indian Ocean islanders comfortably held on.
Mauritius substitute Jonathan Patrick Ernest was sent off in the 61st minute when he had just been on the park for just seven minutes.

That swayed the advantage to Lesotho and they piled on the pressure but Mauritius players — especially Jean Sophie and Mike Mitraille — defended solidly for the cause of their team and, in the process, the cause of the Warriors.
Now and again, the Crocodiles cut through the tiring defence but their finishing was poor and — even on the occasions they came face-to-face with the goalkeeper — they just could not beat him.
Mauritius depended on counter-raids, but they quickly ran out of steam in the suffocating heat of Rufaro and then decided to sit back, inviting their opponents to come at them, and hoping for that stray pass.

Their strategy worked wonders, both for them and for Zimbabwe, and by the end of the game it was party time at Rufaro.Lesotho coach Leslie Notsi conceded after the match that his charges didn’t take the many opportunities they created for themselves and this resulted in them bowing out of the tournament.