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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

THE Fortune Fokoza Ncube Foundation Under-15 invitational tournament will return this year following a two year hiatus owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Eight teams are set to battle in the competition that will take place this Saturday at Entumbane Esporweni Grounds in what will be the fifth edition of the competition.

Teams that are set to do battle are Chicken Inn, Entumbane Stars, Asante Sana, Real Stars, Super Nets, Thorngrove, Binga Soccer Academy and Fusini.

Zifa Bulawayo province chairman Francis Ntutha called for clubs to avoid age cheating.

“We encourage clubs to desist from age cheating which is a cancer that chases away sponsors,” said Ntutha.

This year’s competition is sponsored by BOC Gases, BLM events and Kodak.

BOC representative Aubrey Sithole said: “Fortune has become our family.

We will continue to support his works. We are a company that believes in giving back to the community which is what we are doing.

We want this tournament to be a success,” said Sithole.

Winners will receive a trophy, medals and playing balls. Losing finalists will get medals, playing balls and T-shirts. All participating teams will get playing balls.

There will be prizes for the player of the tournament, goalkeeper of the tournament, coach of the tournament and the top goal scorer.

The motive for the tournament is to help the community fight against drug abuse as well as help with talent identification in the city.

The founder and sponsor of the tourney, Ncube, played for several clubs including Hwange FC, Bulawayo Chiefs, Black Mambas as well as Motor Action.

His professional career ended prematurely because of an eye ailment and he turned to junior development football soon after his untimely retirement.

He’s now employed as a coach at an academy in South Africa.

Fixtures

Chicken Inn v Ntumbane, Fusini v Asante Sana, Real Stars v Binga, Thorngrove v Super Nets

– @innocentskizoe.