CIWU ready for Spurs challenge
CIWU coach Kudzie Mhandire says his side is raring to go ahead of their Zifa Bulawayo Division Two league match replay against Ajax Hotspurs tomorrow afternoon at Ndola Stadium in Iminyela, despite Ajax indicating they will not fulfil the fixture.
Ajax had indicated that they would lodge a formal appeal with the Zifa national appeals committee after the Bulawayo Province disciplinary committee turned down their complaint against two crucial rulings that went against them.
Zifa Bulawayo province has instead scheduled the game for tomorrow afternoon at a neutral venue after the 14-day period for Ajax to launch an appeal against the decisions lapsed.
The disciplinary committee ruled that the abandoned game between Ajax Hotspurs and CIWU be replayed, while in the other case White Birds were found not guilty for using a banned player in their game against Ajax.
With Ajax and CIWU in a fierce battle for the runners-up slot, which guarantees promotion to Division One, the game will decide who gets promoted to the second tier league.
League winners Toronto have already been promoted to the Southern Region Division One, leaving one more qualification slot. CIWU are presently second with 65 points, while Ajax are three points behind on 62.
CIWU coach Mhandire is confident ahead of the encounter.
“We are ready for the game and the guys have been training hard. A lot is at stake in the game and we hope to collect maximum points. We simply have to win at all costs, as this will be a chance to measure our strength and weaknesses as we prepare for a more demanding season next year. We have to show the world why we should be playing in Division One and what a platform to show it,” said Mhandire. FOUR development teams will battle it out in the inaugural Fortune Fokoza Foundation Under-14 soccer tournament in Entumbane tomorrow morning.
The tournament will see four teams, Zebra Revolution, FMSA Umguza Academy, City Rovers and Flying Stars Academy, taking to the field.
The four teams will play in a knockout format, with Young flying Stars set for a showdown with FMSA Umguza and Zebra Revolution taking on City Rovers.
Winners of the tournament will get a floating trophy, five soccer balls, medals, warm up t-shirts and a kit. The losing finalists will go home with medals, warm up t-shirts and two soccer balls.
There will be a special donation to the Entumbane community in the form of soccer boots to the most deserving Under-14 players.
Ncube, a former Motor Action and Bantu Rovers winger, retired prematurely from football two years ago after suffering an eye ailment and established the foundation to help develop young talent.
Ncube is now based in South Africa where he coaches at Sporting CP Academy. Before relocating to the neighbouring country, he coached ZRP Beitbridge in the Zifa Central Soccer League.