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Ricky Zililo in Zvishavane
MPOPOMA High School stormed into the Under-15 girls’ final at the Copa Coca-Cola national tournament in Zvishavane yesterday.

The Bulawayo girls overcame Chenhuta High from Mashonaland East 3-1 in a penalty shootout after they had played to a goalless draw in regulation time in the semi-finals.

They will now play against Nyamauru from Manicaland to decide the girls’ national champions at Mandava Stadium this morning.

This will be the Bulawayo school’s first appearance in the final of the schools’ premier football tournament.

Mpopoma topped Group D, beating Seke High from Harare 3-0 in the opening game and Birivenge of Masvingo 5-0.

The Bulawayo provincial champions went on to hammer Simbo of Matabeleland North 6-0 in the quarter-finals before dispatching Chenhuta in the semi-finals.

Evans Netha, the Mpopoma coach, was exhilarated by the girls’ performance, which outshined the boys, who failed to make it beyond the group stage.

“We’ve been rewarded for our hard work. It wasn’t an easy road because we had seven of our regular first team players out but the girls who filled the gap did a fantastic job. We are going to enjoy ourselves in the final,” said Netha.

Mpopoma’s opponents in the final Nyamauru’s road to the final saw them scoring 12 goals in the group stage. They first demolished Thekwane High 6-0 and buried hosts Zvishavane High by a similar score line.

Nyamauru then beat Gweshe High of Mashonaland Central 2-0 in the quarter-finals and edged Mwami of Mashonaland West 2-1 in the semi-final.

Meanwhile, the boys’ semi-final match between Prince Edward of Harare and Masvingo’s Pamushana was abandoned after Pamushana officials stormed the pitch protesting against the referee for denying them an “equaliser”.

Prince Edward were leading 1-0 when the game was called off following the standoff.

Pamushana scored while a player was being treated on the field with less than five minutes left to end the game.

Organisers of the tournament were expected to make a ruling as to which school will meet Guinea Fowl from the Midlands in the final today.

The Gweru school saw off Waddilove from Mashonaland East 3-0 in the semi-final.

Results

Girls
Group A: Nyamauru 6-0 Thekwane, Zvishavane 0-6 Nyamauru, Thekwane 3-0 Nyamauru

Group B: Chenuta 1-1 Simbo, Chamakwanda 0-4 Chenuta, Simbo 2-9 Chamakwanda

Group C: Chidyamakono 0-1 Gweshe, Mwami 0-0 Chidyamakono, Gweshe 1-0 Mwami

Group D: Seke 1-2 Birivenge, Mpopoma 3-0 Seke, Birivenge 0-5 Mpopoma

Quarter-finals: Thekwane 1-1 Mwami (Mwami won 3-0 after penalty shootout), Chenhuta 1-0 Birivenge, Mpopoma 6-0 Simbo, Nyamauru 2-0 Gweshe

Semi-finals: Mwami 1-2 Nyamauru, Mpopoma 0-0 Chenhuta (Mpopoma won 3-1 after penalty shootout)

Final: Nyamauru v Mpopoma (today)

Boys
Group A: Mandava 0-4 Prince Edward, Mutare Boys 1-0 Mandava, Prince Edward 2-0 Mutare Boys

Group B: Mpopoma 2-1 Guinea Fowl, Somvubu 1-0 Mpopoma, Guinea Fowl 1-1 Somvubu

Group C: Kanyemba 7-0 Mtshabezi, Waddilove 1-0 Kanyemba, Mtshabezi 0-5 Waddilove

Group D: Pamushana 1-1 Rusunguko, Pfupajena 5-4 Rusunguko, Pamushana 1-1 Pfupajena

Quarter-finals: Prince Edward 2-0 Kanyemba, Waddilove 5-1 Mutare Boys, Somvubu 0-4 Pamushana, Pfupajena 0-0 Guinea Fowl (Guinea Fowl won 5-3 on penalties)

Semi-finals: Waddilove 0-3 Guinea Fowl, *Prince Edward 1-0 Pamushana (match abandoned)