adminLovemore Zigara Midlands Correspondent
GOKWE South District’s Cheziya High School will represent Midlands at the Copa Coca-Cola Under-16 finals in Harare after beating Matinunura High School of Gweru 7-6 on penalties in Gweru on Friday.
The provincial finals were held at Chaplin High School. Cheziya leftback Praise Murehwi, who was turned into a goalkeeper after six of the team’s players including the goalie were disqualified on suspicions that they were over-age, emerged the hero of the day after he made crucial saves in the final.
The Gokwe South team school was forced to play the entire tournament with 10 players but still managed to top Pool A to progress to the semi-finals where they met Globe and Phoenix of Kwekwe.
Matinunura on the other hand beat Mnene of Mberengwa 1-0 in the semi-finals to set a re-match with Cheziya whom they had played against in the group stages.
Meanwhile, Gato High School of Shurugwi also qualified for the national finals of the girls Copa Coca-Cola Under-17 finals after beating Mberengwa District’s Mabika 5-4 on penalties in the provincial finals. The match had ended one all after regulation time.
In the run up to the finals Mabika beat Chivizina of Zvishavane 4-3 while Gato won 4-3 after a shootout against Hama of Chirumanzu after the match had ended one all after regulation time.
The national finals will be held at Churchill High School in Harare on the weekend of July 18-20.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter