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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
EUROPEAN scouts that were expected to attend the first round matches of the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Invitational Soccer Tournament, which kicks off today, will now only be available for the final.

Double headers in Bulawayo and Hwange will mark the first round of the Trukumb Mining Enterprises sponsored Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Cup.

The tournament will see a Bulawayo Under-20 provincial select taking on Black Boots at Luveve Stadium in the first game while army side Indlovu Iyanyathela square off against Talen Vision.

The Colliery Stadium in Hwange will play host to a Matabeleland North Under-20 provincial select which faces Casmyn ahead of the anticipated clash between league champions Bulawayo Chiefs and ZPC Hwange.

Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Cup holders ZRP Bulawayo miss out on the tournament, with Zifa saying they decided to reward teams of “good financial standing” by inviting them to compete.

The Zifa Southern Region had decided to have double headers to accord scouts from Europe ample time to watch teams in action.

However, Juma Phiri, a member of the tournament’s organising committee, yesterday said: “We just received communication from the scouts that they are unable to make it for the quarter-finals and will now be here to watch the final. We still hope to have an exciting tournament.”

Trukumb Mining Enterprises spiced up last year’s tournament by inviting European scouts, who identified six players from Talen Vision and Bantu Rovers.
Leeroy Munyorovi, Patrick Kingambo, Tawanda Machaya, Crispen Ncube, Mbekezeli Sibanda from Talen Vision and Njabulo Mpofu of Rovers were snapped up by lower leagues in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Munyorovi and Kingambo are now at Czech Republic First Division side Frydek-Mistek, with Muchaya attached to Slovakia’s third-tier side SKM Nove Zamky.

Ncube and Mpofu are at FC ViOn Zlaté Moravce from Slovakia’s Supa Liga, while Sibanda is also in Slovakia at third-tier side NSK Pichov.

Winners of the tournament will take home $2 400, with the runners-up getting $1 500. Losing semi-finalists will walk away with $700 each, while teams knocked out in the first stage will each pocket $300.

Fixtures

Today: Bulawayo Provincial Select vs Black Boots (Luveve, 12PM), Indlovu Iyanyathela vs Talen Vision (Luveve, 3PM), Matabeleland North Provincial Select vs Casmyn (Colliery, 12PM), ZPC Hwange vs Bulawayo Chiefs (Colliery, 3PM).