adminSikhumbuzo Moyo
SKENTE Primary School from Tsholotsho will represent Matabeleland North at the Ingwebu regional soccer finals set for White City Stadium tomorrow after winning the Matabeleland North finals held at Jotsholo Grounds on Monday.The winners beat firm favourites Kheswa Primary School 4-2 on penalties after the two schools were tied 0-0 after regulation time to collect $1 200 winners cash and a floating shield.
For their efforts the losing finalists received $1 000. Scoring for the provincial champions in the shootout was the outstanding central defender Perfect Sibanda, Promise Moyo, Zuze Moyo and Carlos Ngwenya while Kheswa’s Mthokozisi Nono and Thembani Ndlovu missed their kicks.
On their way to the final, Skente came second in Pool A behind Kheswa before dumping Nkayi’s Dakamela Primary School 4-2 on penalties in the other semi-finals.
Having topped their group, Kheswa met Hwange representatives, St Francis of Dete and beat them 2-0 with the goals coming quickly in the first half through Thembani Ndlovu and Nguquko Sibanda.
In the third place play-off, St Francis beat Dakamela Primary School 1-0 through a well taken goal by Wisdom Mpofu to go back to Dete with $800 while the losers received $650 cash.
Despite not reaching the final, St Francis’s Nkosilathi Dube was overwhelmingly voted Player of the Tournament while Kheswa’s Thembani won the Golden Boot Award.
Both awards carried a $50 cash prize. Ingwebu Breweries general manager Nkosana Prince Ndlovu said his company chose to invest in juniors because they realised that the future lies with the youngsters.
“We also realised that most schools struggle to raise money for their day to day financial needs or even capital projects and the little that we give you though not enough, will certainly go a long way in meeting your needs,” said Ndlovu.
Meanwhile, school heads in Matabeleland North have been urged to take sports seriously so as for the province at large to fully realise its full sporting qualities.
This was said by the Lupane district education officer Simplicio Gwanoya in his key note address as the guest of honour at the finals.
“Matabeleland North is finding it difficult to make a mark in sports competitions because of various challenges which include and not limited to heads that do not take sports seriously,” said Gwanoya.
Some school heads are known for their inborn dislike of sports despite that fact the sport is now one of the biggest growing sectors the world over with some countries realising billions of dollars in revenue.
“Our heads should allow talented pupils to realise their full potential in sports and this will eventually transcend to the province at large,” said Gwanoya.
Matabeleland North province has been performing dismally in national competitions, be it Naph, National Association of Secondary Heads (Nash) or even the annual Zimbabwe National Youth Games. The province has now made it its patented right to finish last in most of these competitions.
While support from the heads is also partly to blame the province also suffers from very limited financial support from the large number of companies drawing their wealth from the natural and human resources which are vast in the province.
Gwanoya also noted that lack of trained personnel as well as sub standard sporting facilities contributed immensely to the poor sporting position that the province always suffer from.
Some schools use running tracks which are less than 400m and that turns to wear heavily on athletes from the province when they compete at standard tracks like White City Stadium, Nust or the Colliery Stadium.
Results:
Pool A
Kheswa (Lupane) 0, Skente(Tsholotsho) 0; Zumanana (Binga) 0, Loziba (Bubi) 0, Kheswa 2, Loziba 0; Skente 1, Zumanana 0; Skente 0, Loziba 0; Kheswa 1, Zumanana 0.
Log standing
P W D L F A Pts
Kheswa 3 2 1 0 3 0 7
Skente 3 1 2 0 1 0 5
Loziba 3 0 2 1 0 2 2
Zumanana 3 0 1 2 0 2 1
Pool B:
St Francis (Hwange) 1, Gandangula (Lupane) 0; Dakamela (Nkayi) 0, Imbizo (Umguza) 0; Imbizo 0, St Francis 0; Gandangula 0, Dakamela 0; St Francis 0, Dakamela 1; Gandangula 0, Imbizo 0.
Log standing
P W D L F A Pts
Dakamela 3 1 2 0 1 1 5
St Francis 3 1 1 1 1 1 4
Imbizo 3 0 3 0 0 0 3
Gandangula 3 0 2 1 0 1 2
Semi-final One:
Dakamela 0, Skente 0 (Skente won 4-2 on shootouts)
Semi-final Two:
Kheswa 2, St Francis 0
Third place play-off
St Francis 1, Dakamela 0
Final:
Skente 0, Kheswa 0 (Skente won 4-2 on shootouts)
Online Reporter