adminNgqabutho Moyo Sports Reporter
THE best of Bulawayo schools football is expected to be watched at the Copa Coca-Cola tournament to be held at Gifford High School tomorrow.Twelve schools are expected to battle it with only two teams progressing to the inter-provincial finals to be held at Churchill High School in Harare over the weekend of July 18-20.
Once a powerhouse in boys’ football in Bulawayo, Mzilikazi High School will compete against Tennyson Hlabangana representing Imbizo District, Magwegwe, Pumula, Milton and the hosts Gifford for the ticket to the finals.
Hosts and defending champions Gifford High School are optimistic about defending their title and reputation hopefully to the final stage of the tournament in Harare.
“We are more than ready both to host and defend our title as the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province’s Copa Coca-Cola boys’ Under-16 champions,” said Collet Murombo, the Gifford High School sports director.
However, fierce competition is expected from Mzilikazi High School who have a history of producing and nurturing some of Zimbabwe’s greatest footballers like Peter Ndlovu, Belgium-based Vusa Nyoni, Johannes Ngodzo and Esrom Nyandoro, hoping to restore lost glory by progressing to the later stages of the competition and scooping the cup.
Defending champions’ rivals Milton High School are not going to stand by and watch Gifford.
Tendai Macharira head coach of Milton High School said; “We have assembled a team of very young and talented players and I am confident that even though we are coming as underdogs to Gifford High School, we will beat them this time.”
Meanwhile in the girls’ category Montrose are the defending champions, Sobukhazi, Induna, Magwegwe, Inyanda and Masotsha are taking part.
“In the girls’ competition this year it is a tightly contested category and to be honest I am very anxious to see who will walk away victors of the group,” said Murombo
Delta Beverages through its Coca-Cola brand have put $250,000 up from last year’s $230,000 for the national secondary schools football fiesta and every participating team wants to get their hands on it.
Fixtures
Girls Under-17
Group A: Inyanda High School v Magwegwe High School, Sobukhazi High School v Inyanda High School, Magwegwe High School v Sobukhazi High School
Group B: Masotsha High School v Montrose Girls High School, Maranatha High School v Masotsha High School, Montrose High School v Maranatha High School
Boys under 16
Group A: Gifford High School v Magwegwe High School, Tennyson High School v Gifford High School, Magwegwe High School v Tennyson High School
Group B: Milton High School v Pumula High School, Mzilikazi High School v Milton High School, Pumula High School v Mzilikazi High School.
derick.khumalo