adminNgqwele Dube and Simbarashe Dube
AN exciting 27th edition of youth football tournament Copa Coca-Cola got under way in Bulawayo yesterday morning with Mashonaland Central’s Rujeko High School and Dewure of Masvingo storming into the boys’ finals while in the girls’ Under-17 Chidyamakono will face St Francis.
The finals will be played this morning at Barbourfields Stadium.
Rujeko emerged as favourites, in the boys’ Under-16 contests, after storming into the final with a good showing against Prince Edward in the semi-finals and they will meet Dewure who dispatched defending champions, Chemhanza on penalties.
Rujeko were all over Prince Edward with a good passing game and a strike by Ishmael Nyanhi was enough to secure them a spot into the finals.
Dewure managed to make it into the finals after scoring three of their penalties while Chemhanza missed all their spot kicks. The Masvingo side could win the tourney for the second time as they once held the Copa Coca-Cola trophy.
However, it was the failure by the host province’s teams to progress beyond the quarter-final stage that was cause for concern.
Mpopoma were booted out by Dewure in the quarter-finals while Gifford failed to it to the group stages in the boys section while in the girls’ category, Montrose and Magwegwe were simply bad hosts failing to go through the group stages.
Meanwhile, Chidyamakono High School will be aiming for a third title of the tournament after they secured a spot in the final.
Chidyamakono have won the title in the two previous editions of the of the country’s most prestigious schools soccer tournament, and by that feat they have proved to be the dominant force since the inauguration of the girls’ edition in 2011.
The Masvingo-based school will face Mashonaland Central’s St Francis in the final to be played this morning at Barbourfields Stadium.
Chidyamakono had their intentions known in the group stages where they scored seven goals in two matches.
On their way to the final, Chidyamakono topped their group, went on to win 2-0 against Seke High 1 in the semi-final, while St Francis also defeated Masase High School with an identical scoreline in the second semi-final.
The acclaimed tournament was graced by former players and coaches that included Ali “Baba” Dube, Ronald “Gidiza” Sibanda, Joel “Dubai” Luphahla, Herbert Dick, Douglas “British” Mloyi, Moses Chunga, Shadreck Mlauzi, Agent Sawu, Sithethelelwe Sibanda, Nomsa “Boyz” Moyo and Dazzy Kapenya, among others.
The competition is organised by the National Association of School Heads and is sponsored by Coca-Cola. And officials from the two organisations were out in full force at the tournament’s venues yesterday.
Results
Boys Under 16
Group A: Rujeko 2-2 Mpopoma, Rujeko 2-1 Mutare Boys, Mpopoma 2-0 Mutare Boys
Group B: Prince Edward 0-0 Chemhanza, Prince Edward 2-2 Nemakonde, Chemhanza 2-0 Nemakonde
Group C: Dewure 2-1 Guinea Fowl, Dewure 2-3 Gifford, Guinea Fowl 2-0 Gifford
Group D: Tsholotsho 1-3 How Mine, Tsholotsho 0-1 Bernard Mizeki, How Mine 2-1 Bernard Mizeki
Quarter-finals
Chemhanza 2-0 Bernard Mizeki, How Mine 0-3 Prince Edward, Dewure 3-0 Mpopoma, Rujeko 3-2 Guinea Fowl
Semi-finals
Rujeko 1-0 Prince Edward, Chemhanza 0-0 Dewure (Dewure won 3-0 on penalties)
Third and Fourth Playoffs
Prince Edward 0-2 Chemhanza.
Bongani Ndlovu