Copa Coca Cola fiesta in Bindura
ALL roads lead to Bindura this weekend where 24 boys and girls football teams will converge for the Under-15 Copa Coca-Cola national finals.
The tournament is slated for Friday and Saturday with Chipindura and Hermann Gmeiner hosting the boys and girls teams respectively.
Ten provincial winners for each category will join the hosts and defending champions Rujeko and Chidyamakono.
Mashonaland Central will have three teams in the boys competition as the title holders Rujeko are from that province while Chipindura qualify by the virtue of being hosts and Kundayi are the provincial champions.
On the girls’ side they will have Hermann Gmeiner and Rushinga. Masvingo will also have two representatives in the form of reigning champions, Chidyamakono and Mwenezi the provincial winners.
The sponsors of the tournament this year reduced the age from Under-16 for boys and from Under17 to Under-15 for girls.
The limelight will be on Chidyamakono from Masvingo who have won the girls championship for a record four consecutive times, since 2013 when they beat Vainona in finals held in Mutare.
Last year they overpowered Magwegwe High in Gwanda to retain the title.
And after managing to hold on to the title for so long it remains to be seen if they still have the pedigree to continue with their dominance to make it five in a row.
In the boys category, Rujeko will be out to defend the title they won last year after beating Chinhoyi on penalties in the finals and for them it was a sweet victory having lost the 2015 final to Dewure.
This year marks the 29th edition for boys competition and seventh edition for the girls.
Chidyamakono and Vainona are the two schools that have won the title since the inception of the girls competition.
Teams: Boys: Oriel Boys (Harare), Takwirira (Manicaland), Kundayi (Mashonaland Central), Sabiwa (Matabeleland South), Gutu High (Masvingo), Lobengula (Bulawayo), Rusununguko (Mashonaland East), Tohwe (Matabeleland North), Pfupajena (Mashonaland West), Gorge Chipadza (Midlands), Chipindura High (hosts), Rujeko (defending champions).
Girls: Vainona (Harare), Mamunyadza (Manicaland), Rushinga (Mashonaland Cenntral), Tongwe (Matabeleland South), Mwenezi (Masvingo), Mpopoma (Bulawayo), Parirewa (Mashonaland East), Somvubu (Matabeleland North), Sodbury (Mashonaland West), Guinea Fowl (Midlands), Hermann Germainer (host), Chidyamakono (Masvingo).