Msipa charity tourney returns
ZNA dominates open boxing tournament
FC Platinum and Shabanie Mine will face off in the third edition of the late Cephas George Msipa Scholarship Trust Charity soccer tournament at Maglas Stadium on Saturday.
The competition is aimed at raising funds for the CG Msipa Scholarship Trust.
FC Platinum are the holders, having won the first edition in 2013 and the last tournament held in 2014. The tournament returns after a two-year absence and FC Platinum Holdings, the business side of the football club, is sponsoring this year’s edition to the tune of $20 000.
Winners of the charity match will get $15 000 and the losers $5 000.
“The CG Msipa soccer tournament is back and all the gate takings will go towards the scholarship trust. Baba vaMsipa made a considerable contribution in education and we would like to continue his legacy through this memorial match,” read a statement from FC Platinum spokesperson Chido Chizondo.
Derbies involving the two Zvishavane sides have always been tense thrillers and nothing should change when they meet on Saturday.
Shabanie coach Taku Shariwa told Chronicle Sport yesterday that the game against FC Platinum will be ZIMBABWE National Army boxers dominated the Open Boxing Tournament, winning seven out of the 10 contests held in Nyanyadzi last Saturday.
Thulani Mupundu opened the door for ZNA boxers when he got the better of Lynott Jeyacheya of Manicaland in the light heavyweight category, while fellow ZNA boxer Beven Nyamhondera won against Ashly Makweya, also from Manicaland, in the light welterweight category.
Other ZNA boxers that won were Chenjerai Makanyire (bantamweight), Emmanuel Chisiya (lightweight), Netsai Bondai (lightweight), Evance Usaviwevhu (welterweight), Arthur Million (bantamweight) and Felix Masinire (lightweight). Boxers came from Bulawayo, Matabeleland their first pre-season game. He said they were in their fourth week of pre-season training, with this week being their second of intensive training.
“We spent the first two weeks conducting trials and we’re happy with how we’re progressing. I think we’re lagging behind in terms of fitness, tactics and combinations, but that is not an excuse going into the CG Msipa Charity match as we intend to do our best.
“We will use the match to see how our combinations are coming up and hopefully it will be a good footballing weekend for the community as we celebrate the life of an icon (Msipa) through sport,” Shariwa said.
The former Mutare City Rovers coach, who joined the Zvishavane side last month, said he has a youthful side driven by the desire to succeed.
Shariwa said notable players with Premiership and First Division experience in his side are ex-Monomotapa and Mutare City defender Brian Mapfumo, who has been brought in to help stabilise the defence, attackers Tapiwa Maduma, formerly with North, Harare, Midlands, Manicaland, Mashonaland East and the ZNA.
Matabeleland South, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West and Masvingo were not represented.
Although Masvingo was not represented as a province, individual boxers that felt could not miss the opportunity to prove themselves came on their own.
Zimbabwe Boxing Federation vice-president Isaac Goora hailed the tournament saying it was an eye opener and a major success.
“The tournament was also key to ZBF boxers, as they prepare for the forthcoming Sadc Zone IV Games scheduled for Angola next month. The tournament also helped in assessing some of the boxers invited by the Zambian Boxing Federation for an amateur tournament set for Lusaka on March 4.
“The ZBF calendar will see more events lined up for 2017 taking place among them several other open tournaments at different places around the country. On March 25, all boxing provinces also converge at Victoria Falls for the second ZBF Open Tournament that Matabeleland North is going to host. International tournaments also make up part of the calendar,” Goora said.
Organised by the ZNA in conjunction with the ZBF, the tournament drew amateur boxers from six of the country’s provinces, including the hosts. — Sportszone.co.zw. Herrentials, and Wellington Taderera, who had a stint with Kwekwe Sables. FC Platinum’s pre-season preparations have been smooth sailing and the platinum miners are close to finalising their squad, having retained the bulk of their 2016 squad. They have beefed up their squad with the addition of Bret Amidu, Gift Mbweti, Talent Chawapiwa and Agrippa Murimba. They retained the experience of goalkeeper Petros Mhari, the Moyo twins Kevin and Elvis, midfielders Winston Mhango and Marshal Mudewe, as well as striker Charles Sibanda. Mudewe, double scorer in the final of the 2014 edition of the CG Msipa Scholarship Trust Charity match when FC Platinum beat Chapungu 2-0, will be hoping to be on the score sheet on Saturday. — @ZililoR.