adminSenior Sports Reporter
BUTSHE Primary School from Bulilima district are the Matabeleland South winners of the Ingwebu inter-primary schools soccer tournament in the boys’ category after a 3-2 win over Chituripasi Primary School of Beitbridge district in an exciting final staged at Pelandaba Stadium in Gwanda last Friday.
It was Butshe who went ahead with three minutes played with a header from Christian Dube. Chituripasi found the equalising goal eight minutes later with a brilliant freekick outside the box from Konanani Dube. It did not take time for Butshe to regain their lead, Dube completing his brace this time around with a powerful shot a minute later.
Kabelo Ngwenya found the third goal for Butshe before Deliverance Ngwenya scored the second for Chituripasi with a superb strike on the run. No goals were scored in the second half as the Melford Shoko coached Butshe held on for a win.
In a third place play off, last year’s winners of the tournament Nkankezi from Insiza district defeated Sanzukwi 1-0.
Butshe were rewarded with a shield which was accompanied by $1,200 in cash, Chituripasi got $1,000, Nkankezi $800, Sanzukwi $650. The schools which finished in fifth to eighth position received $300 each. These were Switsha, Saint Sebastian, Mvuthu and Simbumbumbu.
For the first time since Ingwebu Breweries started sponsoring the primary schools soccer competition in 1994, girls have been added to the tournament with their full sponsorship to be unveiled next year. In the inaugural girls’ final played before the boys’, Maphane of Gwanda North district hammered Donkwe Donkwe of Matobo district 3-1.
Maphane got $100 from the sponsors and the same amount from the National Association of Primary School Heads which brought their total prizemoney to $200. Naph also rewarded the other five schools which managed to make it to the provincial finals with cash prizes.
Guest of honour at the provincial finals, Matabeleland South provincial education director Tumisang Thabela, presented the schools with their prizes together with Ingwebu Breweries managing director Reginald Ndlovu.
For being the Matabeleland South champions, Butshe will represent the province at the Matabeleland regional finals to be played in Jotsholo on August 1. The final is competed for by schools from Bulawayo, Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North.
The tournament continues with the Matabeleland North finals to be competed for in Jotsholo on Friday which are going to be followed by the Bulawayo finals a week later. Matabeleland North as the host province of the grand final will get to provide two teams.
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