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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
MPOPOMA High School are the Copa Coca-Cola Bulawayo girls champions following their 1-0 victory over Townsend High School in the final played at Gifford High School yesterday.
A goal by prolific striker Nomthandazo Ngano with 10 seconds to go sent the Dephine Marandure captained Mpopoma to the national finals to be played on 21 and 22 July at Hermann Gmeiner High School in Bindura.
Ngano found the target nine times yesterday to take home the top goal scorer’s award. This means she has scored 19 goals in the tournament this year after her 10 strikes in the Mzilikazi District finals. To make it to the final, Mpopoma demolished Nkulumane 6-0 in the semi-finals while Townsend got the better of last year’s provincial champions Magwegwe by a 1-0 score line in the other last-four fixture.
Tatenda Mudiwa of Nkulumane was voted as the best player of the tournament with Fambainashe Mvere of Mpopoma adjudged to be the most outstanding goalkeeper for keeping five clean sheets yesterday. Delta Beverages sales representative Christine Sarimana presented the teams and players with their accolades.
Mpopoma coach Peter Mudzingwa expressed his delight after achieving what they wanted to accomplish when they came to the provincial finals.
Seeing that they will be heading to a national tournament, Mudzingwa said they will work even harder to make an impression in Bindura.
“We feel on top of the world because what we wished to do is what we did today. If you are going for something higher you put up more effort in preparation for that, otherwise we will continue practicing again and again until the day,’’ said Mudzingwa.
According to the draw conducted during the launch, Mpopoma will play against Mwenezi and Vainona. Mpopoma join Lobengula, the boys champions, also from Mzilikazi District for the national tournament.
— @Mdawini_29
Bongani Ndlovu