adminAccording to the Zifa regions, teams from Bulilima, Mangwe and Plumtree town will have to travel all the way to Kwekwe for some of their games, passing through Bulawayo in the event that they are promoted to Division One.
Matabeleland South was put under the new Central Region, with most people saying Zifa should have been more realistic, as the decision was detrimental to the development of football in remote areas of the country.
Mzila-Ndlovu, who was speaking during the second edition of the Kombani Soccer Tournament held at Plumtree High School on Saturday, said if Zifa consents to the call, it would be easier for other stakeholders to come on board and put in the much-needed financial support.
“Our teams are so disadvantaged because of the present football map and I therefore call upon Zifa to seriously look into the plight of our teams,” he said.
He said teams from as far as Madlambudzi now find it pointless to even join a proper league as they know that it would all come to naught due to costs that would be incurred in the event that they get promoted, thereby killing talent.
Football stakeholders in Plumtree, Bulilima and Mangwe districts recently resolved, after a football indaba, to establish and register a league with Zifa next year.
They made a resolution which they dubbed the Kombani Declaration and it said: “We have resolved to form a league to cater for teams in Bulilima, Plumtree and Mangwe before the start of the 2012 season and elect an interim executive of seven members from people here present to represent Plumtree, Bulilima and Mangwe.
The league will be registered with Zifa. We have also resolved to call for a meeting with all clubs in the next two weeks to engage the local authorities in Plumtree, Bulilima and Mangwe and other stakeholders.”
Meanwhile, NRZ Tigers are the winners of the second edition of the Kombani Soccer Tournament after beating Plumtree Soccer Academy with a solitary strike.
With the win, NRZ Tigers were presented with a trophy and $2 000 in cash while the losing finalists got $1 000.
To get to the final the winners accounted for Highlanders Under-19 2-0 while the losing finalists hammered Plumtree Football Club 5-1.
Bosso youngsters were the third best team after the organisers decided against having the third- and fourth-place playoffs but instead looked at goals scored against.
For their sweat Highlanders Under-19 got $600 with $400 going to Plumtree Soccer Academy.
For the social teams, Amavevane once again dominated, beating their social rivals Plumtree 3-0 in the final, after showing no respect for the visitors in the semi-final, beating Botswana’s Botsalano 3-1.
Plumtree Soccer Academy duo of Brian Moyo and Zenempilo Khuphe walked home with $50 each after emerging joint top goalscorers with two goals apiece.
The Goalkeeper of the Tournament was Taurai Muranganwa of NRZ Tigers and for that he was given $100 while the tournament’s top player was Njabulo Sibanda of NRZ Tigers again, getting himself a trophy and $150 cash.
The tournament was also graced by the Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Lutho Tapela, Mangwe chief executive officer Mangoye Dhlamini, Highlanders secretary Andrew Tapela, newly appointed Highlanders manager Amin Soma-Phiri, among other dignitaries.
Giving his vote of thanks Tapela urged the principal sponsor, South Africa-based Zimbabwean businessman, Charles Moyo, to continue with his good work of developing talent.
Online Reporter