The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda in Kadoma
MPOPOMA High School made history yesterday when they became the first ever school from Bulawayo to win the girls’ title at the COPA Coca-Cola national finals when they conquered last year’s winners Nyamauru 5-4 on penalties at Rimuka Stadium in Kadoma.
Prince Edward School of Harare were also crowned COPA Coca-Cola boys’ champions for the first time when they defeated 2017 winners Rusununguko 1-0. This was despite PE finishing the match with 10 players on the park.
Ever since the girls’ sponsorship was introduced in 2011, no Bulawayo school had won the national trophy. The winners before had come from Harare, Masvingo and Manicaland.
Mpopoma High School girls celebrate after winning the Copa Coca-Cola football tournament at Rimuka Stadium in Kadoma
In what was a recurrence of last year’s final which Nyamauru won 2-1 in Zvishavane, the match concluded 0-0 in normal time with Mpopoma taking it sudden in death penalties. The two teams were again deadlocked 4-4 after five penalties each with the shoot-out heading into sudden death.
After their goalkeeper Thandiwe Msipa had made a save, it was left to Nosipho Dube to win it for Mpopoma and she did.
Mpopoma High School girls delighted after winning the Copa Coca-Cola football tournament at Rimuka Stadium in Kadoma
James Rugwevera, the Mpopoma coach was delighted to have won the trophy which had eluded them over the years.
“We are very happy to have won this trophy as Mpopoma High School, we have won it for Bulawayo and the rest of Zimbabwe. A lot of people in the stadium were supporting us because they wanted us to win,’’ Rugwevera said.
Mpopoma High School girls starting line up in the Copa Coca-Cola final against Nyamauru at Rimuka Stadium in Kadoma
To Rugwevera, it was not really about settling of scores but a matter of making sure that they were even with Nyamauru who denied them at Mandava Stadium in 2018.
“We have actually been waiting for this day, we are very happy to lift that trophy to Bulawayo. It wasn’t revenge, it was whereby we said lets win also for the second time since they won at the first final,’’ he said.
Mpopoma High School girls team at Copa Coca-Cola
Rugwevera attributed his team’s success to the assistance they get from the school’s headmaster Christopher Dube and the fact that they have joined an amateur league which has improved their performance.
“We have already joined a league which is for amateur football but that is helping us to play week in week out and our headmaster is very much supportive in terms of our sporting activities.”
Rugwevera vowed that they will work hard to make sure that they make it to the final again next year.
Prince Edward School celebrate winning the Copa Coca-Cola for boys
“Going forward we have got about seven of our players, they qualify to play again next year so we are going to build on those ones. I know we are going to work hard and make it a point that we would reach the same level next year whereby we are going to play in the final,’’ said Rugwevera.
Mpopoma picked up gold medals, a trophy and a cash prize of $10 800. Rugwevera got $1 500 for being the best girls’ coach. Striker Thando Sibanda was the girls’ top goal scorer with nine goals while Msipa won the most outstanding goalkeeper, with the two getting $1 000 each.
Prince Edward School, winners of the boys Copa Coca-Cola
For scoring 26 goals in open play, Mpopoma also became the first recipients of the Samson Muzvanya COPA Coca-Cola floating trophy. The award was donated by the family of the late Muzvanya, one of the founders of COPA Coca-Cola since the tournament started in 1989 until last year when he died days after the national finals in Zvishavane.
Nyamauru collected silver medals, a trophy a monetary reward of $6 000 with their star player Bethel Kondo getting two accolades, that of most outstanding player at the tournament and for being the best defender with each award coming with a $1 000 incentive. Lucia Chisvo of Nyamauru was adjudged as the best defender and went home with $1 000.
PE claimed their first COPA Coca-Cola boys’ title with a hard fought victory over Rusununguko. Their opponents got a brilliant opportunity to take the lead seven minutes after the break when PE defender Nyasha Pound was sent off for bringing down Dylan Gumbe inside the box. Gumbe sent his penalty off target.
Rusununguko were made to pay for that penalty miss when PE skipper Alvin Dube scored from close range two minutes later.
Pathias Mauto, the PE coach felt their victory was a result of the hard work they have put in, which has seen youngsters from primary schools train at the school and also joining the Zimbabwe Junior League.
“We started four years ago with the boys from the primary schools training at Prince Edward and we also joined the Zimbabwe Junior League where we play the likes of Dynamos and other clubs, giving these boys time to mature also to play as a team and develop the way we play,” Mauto said.
PE walked away with gold medals, a trophy and $10 800. The school also had a clean sweep when it came to the individual accolades with their coach getting $1 500 for being the best boys’ mentor. Dube was voted as player of the tournament, Ronald Uraya the most excellent goalkeeper, Cluivet Tshuma finest defender and Stephen Chatikobo the top midfielder.
Rusununguko got a cash prize of $6 000, silver medals and a trophy.
