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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
A number of coaches in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League took time to watch the Cosafa Women’s Championships which ended in Bulawayo last week.
South Africa won the tournament after beating Zimbabwe 2-1 in the final last Sunday. Highlanders coach Erol Akbay, Bulawayo City mentor Mandla “Lulu’ Mpofu, his assistant Barry Daka, Chicken Inn counterpart Rahman Gumbo and his assistant Sikhumbuzo Banda, How Mine second in charge Bekithemba Ndlovu were some of the high profile coaches following the 12-team tournament.
Akbay and Mpofu were present at all of Zimbabwe’s matches with the two expressing their sadness at missing the final as they had travelled out of town for the Chibuku Cup matches. Just to show how much they enjoyed the tournament, Akbay drove straight from his team’s training session at White City to witness the last few minutes of Zimbabwe’s semifinal clash against Kenya at Emagumeni while Warriors assistant coach Mpofu watched both last four fixtures at the same venue.
“I really enjoyed the matches, it’s always nice to have such kind of tournaments,’’ Akbay said.
The Dutchman was impressed by Mighty Warriors striker, Rutendo Makore and Malawi captain Tabitha Chawinga.
Mpofu felt that the women football type of play had really improved as he saw the teams stringing some good passes and even score some marvelous goals that have not been seen in the men’s game.
“The standards of women football have improved, I saw good passing, shape of the team and transition, little bit of speed, great goals that we have not seen in men’s football. I am disappointed that I will miss the final but I watched most of these teams many times during the group stages,’’ said Mpofu.
He was impressed by a number of players who include Zimbabwean striker Makore, Mighty Warriors left back Sheila Makoto, Chawinga and Zambian striker Barbra Banda.
The chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Omega Sibanda, who is also Zifa vice president, thanks Bulawayo fans for coming in numbers to support the girls.
“The turn out was great. On behalf of the organising committee and Zifa and all other teams that took part in the tournament, may I take this opportunity to thank the people of Bulawayo for supporting women’s football. Attendance was above expectations from the first game to the final.
In fact, in the final, we had to close gates as we feared for people’s safety because we were having an overflow soon after kick off. We also want to thank the people of Bulawayo for their hospitality. We had an incident free tournament,” he said. -@Mdawini_29
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu