(April 20,2005) ZIMBABWE'S Warriors reaffirmed their status as one of the top dogs of Southern African football when they saw off the challenges of Mozambique and Botswana to march into the Cosafa Castle Cup semi-finals. In a changed format of the competition, the Warriors travelled to Windhoek, Namibia to take part in Group B of this year's tournament, which included the hosts, Botswana and Mozambique. Coach Charles Mhlauri, without any of the country's foreign-based legion most of who play in the South African Premiership, heralded a new era by using a wholly local outfit for the first time in a Cosafa Castle Cup game. The home-based players did not disappoint either as they powered to a 3-0 win over Mozambique in their opening assignment at the Independence Stadium on Saturday. Reigning Soccer Star of the Year Cephas Chimedza led the destruction of the Mambas of Mozambique with a brace that included an opportunistic free-kick in which he punished comical Mozambican goalkeeper Rodrigo before Amazulu hitman Sageby Sandaka added a third.

What made their strikes more special was that both players were also grabbing their first Cosafa Castle Cup goals and it appeared it was Sandaka, who was more overcome by emotion - taking off his jersey to earn himself an unnecessary yellow card in the process.

The Warriors were, however, slow off the blocks in Saturday's match and it was the Mambas who did much of the early asking with Jomo Cosmos striker To giving David Sengu a tough time on the right flank. On a number of occasions in that opening spell, stand-in captain and goalkeeper Energy Murambadoro had to summon his experience to keep Mauricio, Paulito and To at bay with some match-winning reflex saves and was one of the main reasons Mozambique came out of the game without even a consolation goal.

Although they got off to a slow start in their game against Mozambique where they were restricted to a goalless first half, the Warriors were unstoppable once they found their rhythm in the second period. They were comfortably in the driving seat through Chimedza's strikes by the time Sandaka sealed their win with a third goal, eight minutes from time.

By the end of the match Mhlauri's charges had done enough to send warning shots to Namibia and Botswana, who played in a later game that had to be decided by a penalty shootout and won 2-1 by the Zebras.

Botswana had since Thursday been relishing the opportunity to play against Zimbabwe with their coach Veselin Jesulic claiming his charges needed neutral soil to show the Warriors that they could do better than the 1-1 draw they forced in Harare last month. Jesulic's bragging could have been taken for the arrogance of a coach but it was in fact a clear admittance that it was only the Warriors, who could really give him a clear picture of his side's strengths and weaknesses.

And by the end of the 90 minutes, a goal each by Brian Badza and Sandaka had put the Zebras in their rightful place and justified why the organisers of the competition had made the warriors the group top seeds.

The win also silenced the more than 2 000 noisy Botswana fans who had crossed the border to support their team. But more importantly for Zimbabwe, was their ability to capitalise on the opportunity to use the back-to-back Cosafa games to build on their depth.

Given the ad-hoc manner in which the local administration continues to arrange low-key international friendlies outside the Fifa calendar, the weekend's assignments in Namibia also gave Mhlauri and his assistant Moses Chunga the competitive platform to assess the kind of depth they have at their disposal.

The Warriors also adapted to the hot sunny conditions, which prevailed in Namibia at the weekend and showed they had the tactical and physical capacity to cope with the demands of two games inside 24 hours. Mhlauri's men, mindful of the energy-sapping heat, did well to control the pace of their game against Botswana by retaining possession especially in midfield where the quartet of Clement Matawu, Gift Lunga, Leo Kurauzvione and Honour Gombami featured prominently.

In attack Zimbabwe took their opportunities with Badza and Sandaka finding the target. Zimbabwe's triumph mean they now proceed to the semi-finals in August where they look set to face much stronger opposition as champions Angola, who had a bye, and former winners South Africa, have already qualified.

The last of the semi-final places will be decided in June in Lusaka in a Group C made up of Lesotho, Swaziland, Malawi and hosts Zambia.

But Mhlauri, in his post-match interview, said he was keen to play any of the tournament's best sides, which could give his charges a further test of their character. "I am happy the youngsters have won and we are still going on with our building exercise. We are a sporting country and we like to play against the best be it South Africa or Angola," said Mhlauri. And after coming out of their group games without conceding a goal where central defenders Herbert Dick and James Matola were resolute, the Warriors must now rank among the firm favourites to go on and lift the 2005 edition of the Cosafa Castle Cup.