adminPaul Mundandi Sports Reporter
The ‘Standard Chartered Trophy — Road to Anfield 2017’ international five-aside football tournament was launched in Harare yesterday.
The unique tournament, which features fans and the bank’s clients, is hinged on the bank’s Liverpool sponsorship and is an opportunity for Standard Chartered to reinforce its partnership with the English giants and generate direct benefits to the businesses.
Winners of the local tournaments will be flown to Anfield, the home of Liverpool FC, to join other winners to play in a 10-team tournament to determine which team emerges as the best in a particular year.
Speaking at the launch yesterday, Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing for Zimbabwe, Lillian Hapanyengwi, said the Standard Chartered Trophy also aims to celebrate their relationship with Liverpool.
“In its sixth year and second in Zimbabwe, this has become a very popular event in Standard Chartered markets across the globe.
“We are, therefore, very excited to host this fun-filled interactive sporting campaign again for our clients and stakeholders,” she said.
A total of 16 teams representing Standard Chartered staff, selected clients and the media will compete on Saturday at the Standard Chartered Bank Sports Club.
The competition will be played on a league/round robin format with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the quarter finals.
The Southern Africa regional champions will then represent Africa at the global tournament in Liverpool, England, in May.
Participating teams will be drawn from the bank’s potential and existing clients in its various business segments — Commercial Clients, Corporate and Institutional Clients and Retail Clients.
A number of prizes will be awarded to the Player of the Tournament, Goalkeeper of the Tournament and the Golden Boot winner.
There is also a prize for the fastest goal scored on the day.
Meanwhile, ambitious Division One side, Hartley Academy, will hold trials at Dzivaresekwa Stadium in the capital on Saturday morning as part of the club’s recruitment drive for players to feature for them this season.
Hartley Academy are owned by a Zimbabwean businessman who is based in the United Kingdom and dreams of creating a club that will supply a number of local footballers to European markets.
“The trials will start at 9am and will go on throughout the day and we are hoping to get some fresh talent that will play for our club this year,” the club director Phil Makekela said.
“Our club has already produced a number of good players like Nelson Chadya (Ngezi Platinum), Wellington Taderera (Shabanie Mine), Tinotenda Majanda and twins Fadrick and Fredrick Muza (Mutare City), Chris Saithomas (United States), Fabrice Ahoka (Lusaka City), Kuda Kumwala (Harare City) and Tino Rodwell Mhlanga (Triangle).
“We believe we can produce more players who can make a mark not only in Zimbabwe, but across the world and we offer them the right environment for that nurturing and that is why we expect a lot of players at our trials.
“The players have to be Under 23 years because we are an academy that wants to develop talent.”
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter