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Ellina Mhlanga, Harare Bureau
DESPITE the drama that surrounded this year’s edition of the Copa Coca-Cola football tournament the sponsors remain optimistic of the future after celebrating the 30th anniversary of the annual event which ended on Saturday in Zvishavane.

This year marked the 30th edition of the country’s biggest schools football tournament, which now caters for Under-15 boys and girls.

However, it was overshadowed by concerns over the vetting system used by the National Association of Secondary Schools Heads, which includes physical vetting and saw some of the schools playing with depleted teams.

In the boys section, eventual winners Pamushana progressed to the finals after they were awarded their abandoned semi-final against Prince Edward which followed a hotly disputed goal towards the end of the match.

The referee allowed the game to continue while two of Prince Edward’s players were down injured and the medical team had stormed onto the pitch.

Pamushana then beat Guinea Fowl 2-0 to lift the trophy for the second time. In the girls section the title went to Nyamauru from Manicaland for the first time. They defeated Mpopoma 2-1 in the final.

Coca-Cola senior brand manager Vee Chibanda said their goal is to promote talent in the country and was impressed to see new champions in the girls section after five years of Chidyamakono’s dominance.

“As the sponsor, our passion is to grow talent and we stand guided by Nash. We believe they are the experts in this, the referees and everybody else. All we do is to promote sport and we hope we will continue to grow talent in Zimbabwe.

“I am so happy to see the level of talent that was showcased. The football was great, they were playing like professionals which was really great. And also today we managed to see another school girls team winning. So that was good at least it will encourage other schools. We are geared for the next decade,” Chibanda said.

It was a memorable event for Artwell Mukandi, a former Pamushana student and was part of the team that clinched the trophy in 2007.

The former Dynamos goalkeeper graced the tournament together with a number of Copa Coca-Cola legends. They took on  Zvishavane legends in a curtain just before the finals and won 1-0 with their goal coming from Spencer Banda.

“It’s a great feeling coming here, being an ambassador for Copa Coca-Cola. I am really elated by the level of competition that has been shown here…it’s actually different from the time when we played Copa Coca-Cola.

“A lot of things have changed and I am really happy that my former school have won Pamushana. I was hoping that they will win and I am really happy they did win,” said Mukandi.

Both the boys and girls winners got $5 400 while runners-up received $3 000.

Prince Edward, who beat Waddilove in the third and fourth play-offs got $2 000 as well as Mwami that finished third in the girls section.

The tournament also saw the selection of the dream teams that are set to go to Kenya later in the year.

However, Nash president Johnson Madhuku and his team will have to up their game if they are to preserve the legacy of the tournament that has become the country’s prestigious schools football event.

On a sad note Copa Coca-Cola legend, Sam Muzvanya, who played a pivotal role in the success and development of the tournament passed on yesterday morning in Zvishavane where he had attended this year’s event.

Dream Teams
Boys: Bradley Kanyangu (Mutare Boys), Emmanuel Richard (Prince Edward), Keith Muzengeza (Mutare Boys), Keith Manunure (Mutare Boys), Alvin Dube (Prince Edward), Trymore Kawerere (Prince Edward), Mark Mukwe (Guinea Fowl) Amicable Sibanda (Guinea Fowl), Proud Ngwenya (Somvubu), Tafadzwa Mamboma (Mpopoma), Tawanda Boroma (Kanyemba), Michael Mhlanga (Waddilove), Owami Moyo (Mtshabezi), Munashe Hungwe (Waddilove), Enasio Perezo (Pamushana), Denzel Nduna (Pfupajena), Keith Mashava (Rusununguko), Dylan Marufu (Rusununguko), Tapiwa Tagarika (Pamushana), Tanyaradzwa Dube (Mandava).

Girls: Bethel Kondo (Nyamauru), Tafadzwa Chipeyama (Nyamauru), Gladys Mwene (Mwami), Evelyn Tichareva (Seke 1), Sikhanyisiwe Tshuma (Simbo), Thelma Mpofu (Simbo), Nancy Mafuta (Chenhuta), Talent Chakanyuka (Chenhuta), Angela Wanyanya (Birivenge), Talent Maketa (Gweshe), Juliet Mushayi (Chidyamakono), Naume Nidza (Mwami), Priscilla Marikosi (Mpopoma), Thando Sibanda (Mpopoma), Lydia Garai (Birivenge), Nyasha Katsara (Nyamauru), Charmaine Magoronga (Nyamauru), Mavis Kambafire (Nyamauru), Martha Vangana (Nyamauru), Nomqhele Thwaza (Mpopoma).