An Ovidy Karuru inspired Zimbabwe Men’s football team opened their COSAFA Castle Cup 2017 campaign with a 4-0 hammering of neighbours Mozambique on Monday night at Moruleng Stadium in South Africa.

The Warriors could have scored more than half a dozen goals in the first stanza as they created better chances but were wasteful despite dominating the exchanges with Leeroy Mavunga, Knox Mutizwa, Gerald Takwara and Ovidy Karuru taking turns to miss.

Skipper Ovidy Karuru finally broke the deadlock two minutes from the break as he latched on to a Gerald Takwara through ball rounding off the Mozambique goalkeeper before finishing from an acute angle.

Karuru doubled Zimbabwe’s lead with a header from a Jameson Mukombwe corner kick in the 64th minute and then came a beauty from left back Ocean Mushure whose freekick sailed beautifully into the top corner for Zimbabwe’s third.

Herentals forward Blessing Majarira then wrapped up the win with a good finish charging down the left and then placing his shot past the keeper into the far bottom corner right at the dearth. 

The Warriors play Madagascar on Wednesday in the second match at the Royal Bafokeng stadium.