The Sunday News
Sports Correspondent
EIGHT social soccer teams will this morning slug it out in the inaugural Mpopoma Sports Gala with a trophy and monetary prizes up for grabs. The Intran Sports Shop sponsored tourney will see Fireworks FC from Cowdray Park, Cowdray Masters, Matshobana, Old Timers, Cream Tartar, Rebels, 70 Combination and West Commonage slugging it out at the Inyathi Youth Centre and at Matshobana grounds.
One of the organisers of the tournament Andrea Banda said it would be a full day tournament that kicks off in the morning.
“It is a wafa-wafa format that will see the teams playing in two groups with the top two in each group proceeding to the semi-finals. The games will commence at 8am and in the group stages games will be 30 minutes each half and the semis and final will be 45 minutes each half,” said Banda.
Fireworks, Matshobana, Old Timers and Cream Tartar will battle it out in group A while in Group B there is Cowdray Masters, Rebels, 70 Combination and West Commonage.
Banda said only players aged 28 and above, who were not playing for competitive clubs would be allowed to feature in the tournament.
He said several former Premiership players that included Mkhuphali Masuku, who is turning out for Old Timers, Ronald “Gidiza” Sibanda for Cream Tartar and Fireworks’ Ackim Muganyi and Tirivaviri Sithole among others, will also play in the tournament. Bantu Rovers coach, Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu will turn out for 70 Combination.
Banda said they had invited football personalities that include Highlanders chairman Peter Dube, former Bosso chairman Ernest “Maphepha” Sibanda and former Tshilamoya defender Douglas “British” Mloyi to grace the occasion.
Winners will walk away with a trophy and $50 in cash while runners-up will get $30 and a ball with the second runners-up walking away with $20 and a ball.
Intrans Sports Shop and Munga’s Bottle Store are bankrolling the tourney
