The Sunday News
HAVING deposed Gifford High School as the Bulawayo champions in the Copa Coca-Cola Under-16 schools soccer tournament, Mzilikazi High are now aiming for their 5th crown at the national finals in Harare later this month.
Mzilikazi overwhelmed last year’s provincial winners Gifford with a 2-0 win in the finals hosted by Gifford a fortnight ago.
Two swift first half strikes from Gift Lunga, the son of former Highlanders player Gift Lunga Jnr, in the sixth minute and skipper Shadreck Nyahwa three minutes later ensured that Mzilikazi, winners of the Copa Coca-Cola when it was still an Under-20 tournament in 1989, 1993, 1999 and 2001, will carry the hopes of Bulawayo at Churchill High School from 18 to 20 July.
Should Mzilikazi succeed in Harare, they will become the school with the highest number of Copa Coca-Cola titles, a record they share at the moment with Hippo Valley High School, national champions in 1990, 1991, 1996 and 1997.
Mzilikazi have a rich history in the Copa Coca-Cola after clinching the inaugural edition of the competition 26 years ago with a number of their products going on to excel locally and internationally. These include the late trio of Adam Ndlovu, Lenny Gwata and Benjamin Nkonjera, as well as living stars such as Peter Ndlovu, Mkhokheli Dube, Ndodana Sibanda, Vusumuzi Nyoni, Joseph Ngwenya, Lloyd Jowa,
Stanford Ncube, Castro Ndebele, Petros Ngodzo, Voster Chitema and Johannes Ngodzo.
After years of absence from the Copa Coca-Cola, Mzilikazi team manager Phathisani Masango said they were preparing hard to make an impact at a tournament where Bulawayo teams had the going tough over the years. Mpopoma, Luveve and Gifford have taken turns to represent the province in recent years without much success.
“As part of our preparations for the Copa Coca-Cola national finals we have arranged a number of friendly matches against other schools and clubs. Our target is to win the national tournament, we know Bulawayo teams have not done well of late but it all goes down to the preparations,’’ said Masango.
Mzilikazi, coached by Mgcini Ncube came through to the provincial finals after being the best team from the eight-team Reigate district where they defeated Sobukhazi 1-0 in the final played at Mzilikazi. At the provincial finals, Mzilikazi came out on top of their group after identical 2-0 wins over Milton and Pumula. In the semi-finals, Mzilikazi won 1-0 over Magwegwe to set up a date with Gifford who had clobbered Milton 4-0 in the other semi-final clash.
Nkosilathi Dlamini, the Mzilikazi goalkeeper, who did not concede a goal at Gifford, would be full of confidence going to the national event in Harare. Nyahwa was also the top goal scorer with four goals, which should serve as an inspiration for him ahead of the national finals.
Highlanders juniors’ coach Dumaza Dube who was present at the tournament together with the club’s assistant coach Mark Mathe, former Bosso player Sizabantu Khoza correctly predicted that Mzilikazi were going to be the Bulawayo champions when they were still playing the group matches. However, in order for them to excel at the national finals, they should engage the services of a professional coach. Dube felt that while the Mzilikazi players were vastly talented, without a skilled mentor, they were going to find it hard to win the competition because most of the players were being played in the wrong positions. He suggested they should get a coach from Bantu Rovers who have the bulk of the players in the Mzilikazi team.
“Mzilikazi should find a proper coach; most of those players are being played off position. It is a side with a lot of quality players who are playing for clubs. They have the best players at Under-16 level, they can win the Copa Coca-Cola but the school must find a coach for those boys as a matter of urgency,’’ said Dube.
He singled out Dlamini who turns out for Real Stars in the Bulawayo Junior Football League Under-16 Pool A, Nyahwa who is already training with the Bantu Rovers first team, Lunga, Mthokozisi Msebe and Andrew Mbeba, as the players likely to have the biggest impact for Mzilikazi at the national finals.
As per the draw carried out at the tournament launch at Chemhanza High School in Wedza at the end of May, Mzilikazi will slot into group B with Harare winners Oriel Boys High School and the Midlands champions.
Gifford were not the only side to be dethroned as provincial champions as Masotsha also lost their title in the girls section when they were beaten 3-1 in the semi-finals by Sobukhazi.
Magwegwe will represent Bulawayo in the girls 17 and under section to be held at Roosevelt Girls High School in the capital after they thumped Sobukhazi 4-0 in the final with all the goals coming from Buhlebenkosi Zulu, the top goal scorer in the girls segment with six goals.
Magwegwe will compete in group B with Chidzikwe from Masvingo and yet to be decided Mashonland East winners would be known on Friday.
Copa Coca-Cola national finals draw
Boys’ Under-16
Group A: Chemhanza, Chipadze, Pamushana
Group B: Oriel, Mzilikazi, Midlands champions
Group C: Mukondwa, Chinonge, Mutare
Group D: Churchill, Vimbai, Mzingwane
Girls 17 and under
Group A: Roosevelt, Mzimuni, Saint Francis
Group B: Chidzikwe, Magwegwe, Mashonaland East champions (to be decided 11 July)
Group C: Midlands, Chilisa, Chidyamakono
Group D: Vainona, Nyamaruru, Sodbury.
