Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
TWENTY four schools, 12 boys and 12 girls will compete at the Copa Coca-Cola provincial finals to be held today and tomorrow at Gifford High School in Bulawayo. The winners in both categories will represent the province of the 2016 Copa Coca-Cola national finals to be staged in Gwanda from July 22 to 24 at Pelandaba Stadium. The boys are battling it out in the Under-16s with the girls competing in the Under-17.
John Nzima, Bulawayo Nash head-in-charge football said the girls’ provincial finals will be played today with the boys’ competition tomorrow. “The stage is set for our provincial finals and I’m sure it’s going to be fireworks because all the schools that have qualified want to represent Bulawayo with pride at the national finals,” Nzima said.
Girls’ teams competing for the right to represent the City of Kings are Eveline, Townsend, Emganwini, Maranatha, Masotsha, Pumula, defending champions Magwegwe, Mpopoma, Sikhulile, Emakhandeni, Entumbane and Sobukhazi.
The boys’ teams to compete tomorrow are Gifford, Milton, Mncumbatha, Tennyson Hlabangana, Mbuyazwe, Masotsha, Ihlathi, Sizane, Cowdray Park, Mzilikazi, Sobukhazi and defending champions Mpopoma.
Meanwhile, Matabeleland South will also have their provincial finals today and tomorrow at JZ Moyo High School.
The girls’ teams who will take to the field this morning are Thekwane, Bhulu, St Sebastian, Mvuthu, Inkankezi, JZ Moyo, Malungudzi, Manama and Magwe.
Plumtree, former national champions Mzingwane, Thekwane, JZ Moyo, Tongwe, Mtshabezi, Halisupi, Shashane and Filabusi are fighting for a place to represent Matabeleland South in the boys’ category. Matabeleland South’s provincial final is on tomorrow at JZ Moyo.
In matches played last week in other provinces Matabeleland North will be represented by Tohwe High from Nkayi in the boys’ category and Sojini will battle it out in the girls’ section.
Devuli beat Tsvingwe 5-4 on penalties to represent Manicaland in the boys section while Nyamauru will battle it out in the girls’ section.
Chinhoyi High and Vimbai are the boys and girls provincial winners for Mashonaland West.
Chemhanza, who won the 2013 and 2014 boys editions earned their ticket to Gwanda when they beat Uzumba 1-0 in Mashonaland East’s finals. They will be joined by Gotora in the girls’ section. Guinea Fowl boys and Utongani girls are Midlands’ representatives.
Rujeko and Chipadze are boys and girls winners from Mashonaland Central. Rujeko will be hoping for another good show this year after losing to Dewure in the finals last year at Barbourfields in Bulawayo. Masvingo will have four teams at the national finals including Dewure and Chidyamakono, who are the defending champions.
Matabeleland South are also going to have four representatives, with Gwanda High and Colleen Bawn qualifying by virtue of being the host schools.