The ManicaPost
MUTARE Boys’ High coach Joshua Chaza believes his team can find its way to the final of the 26th edition of the Copa Coca-Cola Under-16 boys’ tournament after undertaking thorough preparations. The Copa Coca-Cola U-16 and the U-17 girls national finals get underway in the capital today (Friday) with a vetting exercise that will culminate into the group matches the following day and the finals that have been slated for Sunday.
Churchill and Roosevelt are the hosting schools and the group stage games will be played at Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield before heading for Gwanzura Stadium for the finals.
Defending champions in the boys’ category, Chemhanza from Mashonaland East and Masvingo’s Chidyamakono, who won the girls’ competition, last year, will be joined by the provincial winners and the hosting schools.
Like their female Mutare counterparts, Nyamauru High, who will represent the province in the girls’ category, Mutare Boys’ High won the right to represent Manicaland in the national finals of the 26-year-old soccer tournament after a spirited performance that won them the title in the provincial finals which the school hosted a fortnight ago.
Mutare Boys’ High are in a relatively easier group after being thrown into Group C together with little- known duo of Mukondwa from Mashonaland East and Chinonge of Matabeleland North.
“We really want to work hard to find our way to the finals. Whatever happens in the final is something else. If we win it, that will be a bonus for us.
“We have fully prepared for the finals and we have every reason to believe that we will put up a good fight. The boys are raring to go and they are well motivated,” said Chaza.
Interestingly, the seemingly resurgent Mutare Boys’ High team last took part in the national finals of the tournament in 2009 when they partook in the Chinhoyi finals and were bundled out in the semi-finals by Dzivaresekwa Two High.
Last year, the Mutare school failed to progress to the finals that were played here in Mutare when they were outplayed in a provincial semi-final.
They also could not earn the ticket to play at the national finals in 2012 after a dismal performance that saw the once feared outfit failing in the district finals.
Boys’ Pools:
Pool A: Chemhanza (Mashonaland East), Chipadze (Mashonaland Central), Pamushana (Masvingo).
Pool B: Oriel Boys (Harare), Mzilikazi (Bulawayo), Cheziya (Midlands).
Pool C: Mukondwa (Mashonaland East), Chinonge (Matabeleland North), Mutare Boys’ High (Manicaland).
Pool D: Churchill (Harare), Vimbai (Mashonaland) West, Mzingwane (Matabeleland South).
Girls Pools
Pool A: Roosevelt (Harare), Muzimuni (Matabeleland South), St Francis (Mashonaland Central).
Pool B: Chidzikwe (Masvingo), Magwegwe (Bulawayo), Mwanza (Mashonaland East).
Pool C: Chidyamakono (Masvingo), Chilisa (Matabeleland North), Gato (Midlands).
Pool D: Vainona (Harare), Nyamaruru (Manicaland), Sodbury (Mashonaland West).
