NGEZI QUEENS ARE THE CHAMPS

Veronica Gwaze

Sports Reporter

NGEZI Platinum Queens have been crowned the Northern Region Women Football pre-season tournament champions at a six-team contest at Ellis Robins High School.

The Mhondoro-based side finished the tournament without tasting defeat in the preliminary round and beat Cyclone Queens 1-0 in the final.

Dynamos Queens settled for bronze after beating University of Zimbabwe 2-0 in penalty shoot-out following a 2-2 draw in the third/fourth place match.

Ngezi Platinum unveiled their technical team, which is led by Yohane Chikaola, who is also the Mighty Warriors assistant coach.

Chikaola is being assisted by former Mighty Warriors goalkeeper Onai Chingawo, fitness trainer Charlene Moyo, while Brian Ngwenya is the team’s security person.

The recently-assembled Ngezi are part of the club’s commitment to fulfil their obligations of having a female football team to be eligible for continental club football as part of Confederation of African Football resolutions.

Chikaola showered praises on his team.

“We are the new kids on the block. Most people and teams came to watch us and I think they had expectations based on our men’s team, the reigning PSL champions so they wanted to see how we were going to impose ourselves as first-timers,” he said.

“We have only had a short time between assembling the team and preparations but I am happy that they showed a lot of potential.

“Our team is in the right direction; we are work in progress.”

With the league set to get underway at the weekend, Chikaola said indications were that there will be intense competition.

“The level of competition was good, most established teams that came to compete showed the same level of competition with us so if we are to make an impact in our debut season we have to double our work rate,” he said.

NRWSL chairperson Peter Gonyora said the formation of the women football clubs is in line with FIFA’s drive to empower the girl child.

“It is an inspiration to young girls to pursue their dreams, challenge the long-standing stereotypes. The game is also an avenue of empowerment and a tool to keep them away from teen pregnancies and marriages,” he said.