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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS, Bantu Rovers and First Mobile Soccer Academy (FSMA) won the junior age-groups’ His Royal Majesty King Lobengula Football Club Youth Festival played on Sunday at Mpopoma, Bulawayo.

Bosso won the Under-18 final, with Bantu Rovers emerging victorious in the Under-14s while FMSA were crowned Under-14 champions.

The football festival, ran under the theme “Building Communities through Sport,” roared to life last weekend and saw the best of young talent in the City of Kings on display. Eighteen teams took part in the festival that saw future Zimbabwean stars battle for top honours.

Tournament organiser Siphambaniso Dube was happy with the level of competition exhibited at the tournament.

“The competition went well, I am very impressed with the level of competition that we witnessed here. Our aim is to take the children off the streets and away from drug abuse and indulging in sexual activities. We aim at building communities through football and that is the theme of this tournament. I believe the tournament will be bigger and better next year,” said Dube.

Interestingly, all the three finals were decided by penalty shootouts.  In the Under-14 category FSMA beat Biya and Friends 5-4 on penalties after a tightly contested encounter had finished 0-0 during normal time. FSMA held their nerve during the dreaded penalty shootout to be crowned champions.

In the Under-16 age group, 10-man Bantu Rovers held Mpumelelo to a 0-0 draw with the game also decided by penalties. Rovers had better penalty takers and eventually won the final 4-3.

Highlanders lifted the Under-18 trophy after beating city rivals Bantu Rovers 5-4 on penalties after the game had finished deadlocked at 1-all. The match provided lots of thrills and spills and the performance by both teams was befitting the stage of the match.

The winners walked away with a floating trophy, medals and a set of a football kit.

Results

Under-14
First round: Biya and Friends 2-1 Ajax Hotspurs, FMSA 2-1 Cowdray Park, Magwegwe Nottingham 2-1 HRM King Lobengula
Semi-finals: Biya and Friends (5)0-0(4) CPSS,FSMA 1-0 Magwegwe Nottingham
Final: FSMA( 5)0-0 (4) Biya And Friends

Under-16
First round: Bantu Rovers 1-0 Highlanders, Highlanders 2-0 HRM King Lobengula, Bantu 3-0 HRM Lobengula
Semi-finals: Bantu Rovers (3) 0-0 (2) Highlanders, Mpumelelo 1-0 Ajax
Finals: Bantu Rovers (4) 0-0 (3) Mpumelelo

Under-18
First Round Ajax Hotspurs (3)0-0(4) BCC Ajax Hotspurs, Higlanders (4)0-0(2) Makhandeni Pirates
Final :Bantu Rovers (4)1-1(5) Highlanders

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