adminFungayi Munyoro Sports Correspondent
FORMER Zimbabwe international, Alois Bunjira, last weekend launched a soccer tournament which attracted a total of 16 teams from Honde Valley. The tournament dubbed Alois Bunjira Gazzaman Soccer Tournament was held at St Columbus’ High School in Honde Valley. Bunjira said the main aim of the tournament was ploughing back to his place of origin.
“The main aim of this event is to plough back to my place of birth as well as uplifting football in Honde Valley,” he said. The teams were grouped into four groups and Group A was made up of Gwiriri, Mandeya, Murara and Muterere, while Group B had Termites, DC, Rangers and Bullets.
Group C comprised of Hunters, St Columbus’, Hauna Sweepers and Jombe, while Group D had Katiyo, Sakupwanya, Mparutsa and Samaringa.Top two teams from each group proceeded to the quarter finals. Termites, Mparutsa, Sweepers and Mandeya qualified into the semis, where Mparutsa and Hauna came out as winners to meet in the finals.
Mparutsa narrowly edged Hauna by a goal to nil to lift the trophy.
Winners walked away with $300, soccer ball, trophy and full soccer kit. Second prize was $200, 20 T-shirts and a soccer ball. For coming third, Termites got $150, 20 caps and soccer ball. Fourth prize went to Mandeya which received $100, 20 caps and a soccer ball. There were also individual prizes. Nolan Mudambo from Mparutsa won both top goal scorer and player of the tournament awards and walked away with two soccer jerseys and trophies.
The tournament also attracted scouts from Caps United, Harare City FC and Mutare City Rovers.
Bunjira said the tournament was a success and would make it an annual event.
“The tournament went on well and by having the tournament we will help expose some of the talent in this area. I was born in Honde Valley and it was also a comeback tourney after 38 years. My parents left this place when I was just three and never came back, so I have decided to retrace my roots. I will make it an annual event and currently I am working on an Under-18 tournament scheduled for August and a senior tournament to be played in December.
“Besides soccer, we had netball teams where winners were awarded $200, 10 T-shirts and a ball, second prize being $100, 10 caps and third prize was $50 and 10 caps,” he said.
Bunjira who is also part of the Caps United staff, said football standards had deteriorated countrywide.
“Talent is there in our country. Personally, I have identified three players. The first one is 25-years-old, the other two are 18 and 15.But like any other region, soccer standards have gone down. We need to go back to the basics and start valuing development again,” he said.
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