The Sunday News
Sports Reporter
HOSTS Mzingwane and Mvuthu High Schools have made it to the provincial finals of the Copa Coca-Cola Under-15 Championships to be held on June 28.
The district finals were held at Mzingwane High School on 7 June with six schools taking part for a ticket to the provincial finals.
The two local rivals met in the District Finals which were won by Mzingwane 5-4 on penalties but both sides will compete in the provincial finals because Mzingwane will be hosts and by virtue of being losing finalists, Mvuthu are the district representatives.
Mvuthu were Group A winners after winning against Bezha (3-0) and How Mine (4-1) to book their place in the final.
The hosts made it to the final as Group B winners after winning one match against Mbalabala 1-0 and drawing against Mzinyathini nil-nil. In the finals, both teams played enterprising football but could not find the back of the net and played out a goalless draw at the end of regulation time and went to penalties. However, former national and provincial champions, Mzingwane held their nerve and managed to score all their spot kicks while Mvuthu missed one.
Mzingwane head coach, Beke Mavundla praised both sets of teams for the high quality of football they exhibited throughout the district finals. He hailed his boys for nerves of steel and is confident of being crowned provincial champions for the seventh time since 2011.
“I am happy my boys won the district finals. Even though we were already qualified as hosts, I wanted to head into the provincial finals as district champions. Mvuthu played very well throughout the tournament and I think they will be very difficult to beat at the provincial finals,” said Mavundla.
Since 2011, Mavundla has overseen his side win five of the six provincial championships and one national championship making him one of the most successful Under-15 coaches in the country. He is also the first and only coach to bring the national title to Matabeleland South. Mavundla’s Mingwane were crowned national champions in 2012.
COPA Coca-Cola Mzingwane District Finals Full Results
Group A
Mvuthu 3, Bezha 0
Mvuthu 4, How Mine 1
Howmine 3, Bezha 0
Group B
Mzingwane 1, Mbalabala 0
Mbalabala 1, Mzinyathini 0
Mzingwane 0, Mzinyathini 0
Final
Mzingwane 0, Mvuthu 0
Mzingwane won 5-4 on penalties
