The Sunday News
BULAWAYO football fans are set to be treated to a football fiesta next month as plans are underway for a pre-season tournament that will involve four Premier Soccer League teams based in the city.
Highlanders, Tsholotsho, Bulawayo City and How Mine are expected to clash in the one-day festival that would be played at the same venue.
The event is scheduled to be held at White City Stadium for 20 or 21 February, with Bulawayo City and Highlanders, said to be the forces behind the tournament.
While the tourney will provide soccer followers off-season entertainment, the extravaganza will provide a welcome outing for the Bulawayo-based top-flight as they fine tune their teams for the forthcoming season.
Bulawayo City chairman Jerry Sibanda said they would use the festival to celebrate Highlanders’ 90th anniversary.
The initiative is at a planning stage although three sides Bosso, Amakhosi, as Bulawayo City are known and Chikurupati have committed themselves to the tourney. Tsholotsho are still to give an affirmative answer although they have indicated their willingness to take part.
“Although we are still at planning stage, we are certain it will come to fruition because teams are eager to be part of this and I think we should honour Highlanders’ 90-year milestone with this event.
“Most of us emerged from Highlanders hence we would want to celebrate this milestone with them,” said Sibanda.
Highlanders’ chief executive officer, Ndumiso Gumede promised a fun-filled event which is expected to satisfy the appetite of football-starved people in the city.
He said it will be a simple fun day with people expected to enjoy soccer and also see the teams’ new signings in action while also gauging how their clubs will perform this year.
Gumede said entrance fees have been pegged at $2, a $1 for children with those under-12 expected to part with 50 cents.
Gumede said the bottom two teams will get 40 percent of the gate takings while the top two teams will share 60 percent.
“The four teams will go into a pot and a draw will be conducted on the day of the festival just before matches kick off 10am.
“The teams that emerge victorious in the first two games will then meet in the final although there will be a third/fourth place playoff.
“The initial games will be played 30 minutes each half with only the final being the full 90 minutes.
How Mine chairman Paul MacAndrew confirmed that they have verbally agreed to take part although they were still to get a written invitation.
The tourney will be a welcome development for the football starved soccer lovers in the city who are itching to watch some Premiership action as the top league is likely to kick off late well into March.
