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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
IT was pomp and fanfare as the annual Mwalimu Kumbula Football Tournament concluded in Epworth on Saturday.
The competition, which is held in honour of Mwalimu, son to one of Epworth’s most illustrious sons, Musekiwa Kumbula, saw 44 teams taking part from the zonal stages.
And all came down to the three finals held at Kubatana Primary School in Epworth with the Under-13, Under-16 and the Seniors battling it out for top spot.
Pirates beat Go Nation 3-0 to claim the first prize in the Under-13 category while Epworth Athletic overcame Pirates 2-1 in the Under-16 final with Pirates beating Liverpool Stars 2-0 in the Seniors final.
The victorious teams got trophies, complete soccer kits and winners medals, while losing finalists received training bibs, medals and soccer balls.
Coach Tinashe Doriro, whose Epworth Pirates teams qualified for finals in all the three age groups (from which they won in two of the finals), said the tournament helps curb vice in the society.
“The Epworth community is grateful for this annual tournament which has become a ritual. Everyone looks forward to the tournament,” he said. Musekiwa decided to launch the tournament after his son Mwalimu, a passionate Chelsea supporter, saw kids at Epworth kicking soccer balls around aimlessly and he was moved and encouraged his father to organise and sponsor a tournament so they could play in a more organised way.
He also decided to sponsor a tournament in Epworth so that more children could be involved in a more exciting, fun and structured way.
Meanwhile, the eliminators in the Tinmac Foundation tournament in Wedza staged at St Anne’s Goto will have the winner decided next Saturday. Eight teams — Goto, St Thomas Aquinas Chisasike, Hanje A, Matsvai, Ganyau, Ruzawi, Sango and Hanje B — battled it out for the sole ticket to progress to the next round last Saturday. Tournament favourites Chisasike topped Group B while Hanje B came out second while Goto and Hanje A clipped first and second spots in the other group.
But the semi-finals could not be staged due to darkness prompting the organisers to move them to next Saturday.
Chisasike coach Onwell Gambiza, who is also in charge of St Thomas Aquinas Primary School team who have since progressed to the next round, expressed confidence his team will prevail.
“We are coming up against tricky opponents Hanje A. But I have very good players like Roy (Nhindiri), Stanley, Hatiwane (Mukwimba, Freddy (Mukwimba), Gibson (Chipamaunga-Mandizvidza), Patson (Gurira), Stanley among others.
“I am very confident we will win the semi-finals and eventually the final.”
The tournament is sponsored by the Deputy Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Tino Machakaire, who is also the legislator for Wedza South Constituency.
Besides football, athletes also compete in cycling, volleyball, athletics and netball among other sports.
Online Reporter