adminCaroline Magenga Sports Reporter
MARLBOROUGH High School yesterday sailed through to the national finals of the National Association of Secondary Heads Under-20 soccer tournament after they edged hosts Prince Edward in a penalty shootout at Churchill.
The two teams played a goalless draw in regulation time.
Marlborough won the shootout 4-3.
Marlborough defeated Glen Norah 2 1-0 while PE won a penalty shootout in their semi-final against Mufakose 2 to secure a ticket into the final.
Marlborough join Mashonaland East’s Chemhanza, Masvingo provincial winners Gutu, Gandautah from Manicaland, Mashonaland Central’s Rujeko, Matabeleland North’s Nhlangabezea, Gifford from Bulawayo province and Rio Tinto-Zhombe from the Midlands.
The tourney is being sponsored by Population Services International (PSI) under their Pinda mu Smart/Ngena kuSmart programme.
The sponsorship package will cater for playing kits for all the provincial winners, five balls per school, transport and accommodation costs for the two-day tournament.
The winners will get US$1 000, the first runners-up US$500 while the third-placed team will pocket US$250.
The total sponsorship package is believed to be around US$50 000.
The big difference in the prize money being handed to the schools and the sponsorship package of the tournament has been a big talking point.
There has been concern that most of the money appears to be going towards overheads while very little is going into the prize money.
Online Reporter