Chronicle EditorInnocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
Golden Hotspurs 3-1 Rebels
GOLDEN HOTSPURS FC were crowned 2017 champions of the Bulawayo Amateur Football Association’s Townshend and Butcher Trophy after they beat local rivals Rebels FC 3-1 in a fiercely contested derby final played at Barbourfields Stadium (outside grounds) yesterday.
As the defending champions, Rebels went into the game as favourites, but Golden Hotspurs rewrote the storyline coming out of the blocks quicker. From the onset Hotspurs launched wave after wave of attacks at the Rebels goal to no avail.
Against the run of play and after absorbing the early pressure, Rebels opened the scoring in the eighth minute through a Charles Phiri header off Nqobile Hlabangane’s in-swinging cross from the right.
Despite conceding, Hotspurs continued to charge forward and were duly rewarded for their industry 10 minutes later finding their equaliser from the penalty spot after speedy winger Joseph Wilson was hacked down in the box. Success Sibanda stepped up to stroke the ball home to level the scores at one goal apiece.
Two minutes before the break, Hotspurs got their second through impressive winger Wilson who received the perfect through ball from Junior Takawarasha for an easy tap in to put Hotspurs in the lead.
The teams went to the break with Hotspurs leading 2-1.
The second half started with Rebels chasing the game in search of an equaliser committing their men forward, but they struggled to breach the Hotspurs defence.
Hotspurs, the 2015 champions, resorted to counter attacks, a strategy that gave them their third goal of the afternoon in the 70th minute. A swift move was finished off by the older of the Wilson brothers, Joshua to send Hotspurs’ fans into delirium and effectively killing off the encounter as a contest. Hotspurs held on to their lead until the final whistle.
Golden Hotspurs coach Kervin “Giggs” Sakutukwa was elated with the victory.
“We are very happy with this victory, the boys played really well and kept to the game plan. In the end we won the game comfortably,” said a very jovial Sakutukwa.
His opposite number Zwelibanzi Gumpo attributed his side’s loss to poor finishing.
“We are disappointed with the loss. I think the team played well and created chances that unfortunately we failed to utilise,” said Gumpo.
This year’s tournament was a celebration of the 60-year partnership between Bafa and Townshend and Butcher. Guest of honour at the final, Zifa vice-president Omega Sibanda, hailed the continued efforts of the tournament’s sponsor Peter Leondios towards improving sport in the city of Bulawayo.
Leondios, the Townshend and Butcher managing director, also graced the finals.
In the third place playoff played earlier, Safeguard beat Madamara 4-2 on penalties to get the bronze medal.
Meanwhile, Rebels midfielder Dominic Nyika was named player of the tournament while Joseph Wilson scoped the golden boot award with eight goals and Andrew Sidambe was named goalkeeper of the tournament after some impressive performances between the sticks. — @innocentskizoe
Online Reporter
Londile Moyo