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Tedious Manyepo Harare Bureau
THE ZIMBABWE National Army Charities have grossed in excess of $100 000 out of its eight-team Commander ZNA Charities tournament which was won by Highlanders on Sunday at Barbourfields.

Bosso became the first team to defend the trophy after beating Harare City 4-2 on penalties.

The math had ended goalless in regulation time.

On Sunday, Dutch coach Erol Akbay employed his rope-a-dope style, with Highlanders sitting back for long periods before they showed composure in the shootout to beat Moses Chunga’s men.

Bosso took home $12 000 while the Sunshine Boys, who dominated for large parts of the game only to be let down by poor finishing, took home $8 000.

It was a match in which young Bosso ‘keeper Prosper Matutu impressed as he was the hero during regulation time and in the shootout.

“I badly needed to win the ZNA shield especially to heal the wounds of that Independence Cup loss to Chicken Inn,” said Akbay.

“I have always trusted Matutu and I thrust him into the line-up and he repaid the faith.

“I think he is poised to become one of the best goalkeepers in the country.”

While it was jubilation for Highlanders, it was even sweeter for the tournament organisers who hit their target not only from the final match on Sunday but from the entire tournament.

The final match grossed around $23 000 after about 5 500 spectators paid their way into the stadium.

ZNA Charities Secretariat Staff Officer Grade One, Fabion Chitungo, said he was happy that his organisation’s dreams had come true.

“As the organisers, I should say we are very much happy that we managed to realise about $100 000 from the tournament before deductions.

“We are now left with over $60 000 for the five charitable organisations we have in the army.

“This was after we paid the participants and all other service providers,” he said.

Chitungo applauded the Premier Soccer League and the fans for having made the tournament a success.

“We owe the great success of the tournament to PSL and soccer fans who went out of their way to make sure they gave us the will to carry on.

“PSL found a way of squeezing our games on their already congested calendar. The clubs sacrificed and the fans were awesome.

“The spirit which all soccer stakeholders showed is an indication of how Zimbabweans feel for the underprivileged members of the society,” said Chitungo.

He said that the money realised from the tournament will be channelled to the intended beneficiaries as soon as possible.

The tournament involved eight teams which include, crowd-pullers Dynamos, Caps United and Bosso as well as league champions Chicken Inn.

FC Platinum, ZPC Kariba, Harare City and How Mine also took part in the competition.