Zimbabwe score last gasp try to beat Tunisia

Zimbabwe booked a semi-final slot in the 2022 Barthes U20 Cup after securing a one point victory over Tunisia in the second quarter final match played at the Nyayo National stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The midday clash brought the best out of the two nations with the South Africans settling fast in the hot humid Nairobi weather. 

Zimbabwe started brightly and converted an early penalty for a 3-0 lead. Tunisia were then reduced to 14 men when Mohamed Amine Azozi was sent to the bin for a high tackle that allowed Zimbabwe to convert yet another penalty to extend their lead to 6-0. 

Fantastic play from the North Africans enabled them to cut the lead when they scored the first try of the game but missed conversion. 

Zimbabwe responded well to the Tunisia threat when they got their first try and conversion of the day to take a 11-5 halftime lead. 

Tunisia gave a perfect response in the second half when they converted a penalty to reduce the deficit to 11-8 but they could not hold onto the momentum as Zims got a penalty of theirs, converting it for a 14-8 lead. 

The game of penalties saw Tunisia get their own, converting it to make the scores 14-11. 

A brilliant move by the North Africans saw them get their second try of the day when Mohamed Amine Azozi went through the center poles to score, and Ilyes Ayari then successfully converted to give them a lead for the first time.

They however failed to hold onto the lead and fell in the final hurdle when Zimbabwe scored a last gasp try to end the match 19-18 victors. Zimbabwe will now meet the winner between Madagascar and Zambia in the semis. 

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