The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
TALEN Vision, Bulawayo Chiefs, Bulawayo Provincial Under-20 and Matabeleland Under-20 qualified for the Joshua Mqabuko Cup semi-finals after triumphing in the first round of games played yesterday.
The invitational tournament that features Southern Division One teams and is sponsored by Trukumb Mining Enterprises this year also featured two youth sides who progressed to the next round of matches to be played on Wednesday.
Matabeleland North provincial side qualified without kicking the ball after Casmyn failed to turn up for the match in Hwange giving the youngsters a chance to advance to the finals.
The Bulawayo youth side was the second team to make it to the semi-finals as they produced a surprise performance to knock out Division One campaigners, Black Boots 4-3 on penalties after the match had ended on a 2-2 score line.
Talen Vision laboured to a 2-1 victory over Indlovu Iyanyathela, which they managed in extra-time after the match had ended 1-1 during regulation time. Indlovu drew first blood in the tightly contested match as they got the opener in the second half of the match but Talen Vision equalised in the second half before sealing the match in extra-time.
Southern Region champions, Bulawayo Chiefs had to wait for penalties to secure their place in the semis as their battle against ZPC Hwange in the mining town ended in a 1-1 stalemate but the Bulawayo side qualified 5-4 victory on penalties.
Bulawayo Under-20 select produced a surprise performance as they came twice from behind to level the scores against Black Boots.
Black Boots’ Prince Ndiripo’s double was cancelled by Bulawayo City’s Dumoluhle Moyo and Mthwakazi’s Keith Mugumbatho, whose last kick of the match beat Lazarus Kutyuripo, in goals for Black Boots to send the match into extra-time.
However, no goals were scored in extra-time and the match went to penalties and pint-sized Bosso 90 goalkeeper, Deron Chuma was the toast of the Under-20 side as he produced spectacular saves before scoring the winner that secured passage for his team to the semi-finals.
Talen Vision is set to face the Bulawayo Under-20 side in the semis while Chiefs take on the Matabeleland North side.
Southern Region board member, Bryton Malandule said they included the youth sides in the tournament at the request of the sponsor.
“Remember we have scouts coming in to look for talent that will be exported to Europe hence the decision to include youth teams so that the identified youngsters are given the opportunity to impress the scouts,” he said.
Zifa Bulawayo Province chairman Francis Ntuta was delighted with his youngsters’ victory saying it was an indication of the talent within the province.
“The youngsters held their own and showed they have the grit and mentality to play against older opposition which for me I believe is a sign that shows we should have more young players in the upper echelons of the sport,” he said.
