Zim for Copa Coca-Cola Africa Cup
THE Zimbabwe Copa Coca- Cola boys football team to represent the nation at the second edition of the Africa Cup tournament in Thika, Kenya, next month will be hoping for better fortunes.
They failed to go beyond the group stages at the inaugural event last year.
Zimbabwe were drawn in Pool A together with defending champions and hosts Kenya and Mozambique.
The tournament takes place from December 2 to December 5.
It’s specifically for the Under-16s.
In the other groups, South Africa are up against Zambia and Tanzania in Pool B while Ethiopia, Namibia and Uganda will battle it out in Pool C.
Pool D is made up of Burkina Faso, Angola and Botswana.
The tournament is a showcase of skills and is aimed at developing young footballers into the next generation of stars.
Last year Zimbabwe made an early exit from the tourney when they failed to go past the group stages after a goalless draw and a 0-3 loss to Nigeria.
Prince Edward coach, Pathias Mauto, who was the winning coach at this year’s edition of the local tournament, will be in charge of the Zimbabwe side.
“I think it’s a very good group. But it’s a very tricky one, especially when we are starting with the host team,’’ he said.
“I think we are going to pull through the group stages, especially with the selected boys we have.
“Looking back, last year we had the youngest team, having people like Alvin Dube, who was there last year, I think we are going to use that experience.
“I think we have about three of them from last year . . . As a new coach I just want to make history.’’
With Prince Edward and Rusununguko providing the bulk of the players in the 16-member team, Mauto said it makes his
AS Harare swimming clubs brace for upcoming provincial championships at Les Brown Pool, Sharks coach Kathy Lobb says they have a young team they believe will do well again this year.
They won the event last year.
The Harare Amateur Swimming Championships, set to run over two weekends — from November 29 to December 1 and then December 6 to December 8 — will see Sharks, Highlands, Spartans, Pirates, Otters and Dorado job easier since he knows most of them.
Zimbabwe Coca-Cola franchise manager, Milidzani Ncube, said the tournament has proved key in offering opportunities for young and upcoming players to realise their dreams of becoming professional footballers.
The has seen several players, including former Warriors skipper Peter Ndlovu, coming through this platform.
“The Copa Africa Cup is a platform that will go a long way in ensuring that students are the next generation of soccer stars,’’ said Ncube.
“The array of stars the tournament has provided to the national football teams of the participating teams is a testament of the crucial nature of the game.
“Our partner, the National Association of Secondary School Heads, has immensely supported and managed the tourney, ensuring the success of the games.’’
The top two teams from each group advance to the quarter-finals.
Previously, the selected players from different countries would go for specialised camps but last year the organisers introduced the Africa Cup.
NASH head in charge of football, Tranos Mbwirire, is the head of delegation for the Zimbabwe contingent.
They are expected to leave for Kenya on December 1.
The tournament themed “Bigger for Better” seeks to promote a level playing field by bringing together players from different backgrounds and cultures for one goal, which is to be the African champion.
Zimbabwe Team:
Alvin Dube, Ronald Panashe Uraya, Tadiwanashe Masukuta, Stephen Chatikobo, Prosperity Carlos Gwaze, Claivert Rodgers Tshuma, Dylan Tafara Gumbe, Keith Mashava Wema, Thomas Learnmore Gutsa, Alfa Tinotenda Chiwashira, Tendai Blessing Muvuti, Shingai Chimoyo, Enasio Perezo, Nigel Muza Marufu, Bekezela Prince Mpofu, Luke Musikiri.
PARIS. — Aaron Ramsey sent Wales to Euro 2020 football finals with a brace to give them a 2-0 win over Hungary and a spot in next summer’s finals, while Belgium completed their perfect qualifying campaign with a mauling of Cyprus on Tuesday night.
Juventus midfielder Ramsey hit his decisive double either side of half- time at the Cardiff City Stadium to ensure that Ryan Giggs’s side leapfrogged Tuesday’s opponents into second place in Group E to snatch a spot at the multi-host tournament.
Wales also held off Slovakia, who beat Azerbaijan 2-0 but finished a point behind in third thanks to their defeat at group winners Croatia in the previous round of matches.
Ramsey’s match-winning display came in his first start of qualifying and capped a superb performance that belied a characteristically injury-dogged season that term in Serie A.
“I missed a lot of this campaign but it was all worthwhile to chip in with a couple of goals tonight,” Ramsey told Sky Sports.
“We had the time of our lives in France (at Euro 2016). We inspired a nation last time out so we wanted to do it again.”
The 28-year-old, who played 30 minutes as a substitute in Saturday’s win in Azerbaijan, made an immediate impact by charging into the box to meet Gareth
Bale’s inch-perfect cross to settle the home side’s nerves on 15 minutes.
There was no way back for the visitors once Ramsey controlled Kieffer Moore’s knock-down to smash home from close range two minutes into the second half.
However Wales also had to thank goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey for keeping the scores level just before the break after an incredible double save to deny first Dominik Szoboszlai and then Roland Sallai as the home fans held their breath.
The win gave Wales the final automatic place, with 20 teams ready to contest the finals and another four spots set to be decided via the playoffs in March next year.
One of the favourites for the tournament which kicks off in Rome on June 12, Belgium, made it a perfect 10 wins from 10 with a 6-1 thrashing of Cyprus that saw Christian Benteke score twice.
The Crystal Palace forward is yet to score in the Premier League but opened Belgium’s account in the 16th minute with a tap-in two minutes after Nicholas Ioannou stunned the Group I winners with a superb run and shot.
He rounded off the scoring in the 68th minute when he collected a neat through ball from Kevin De Bruyne — who also scored twice — and slotted past Neofytos Michael.
Tuesday’s stroll means Roberto Martinez’s side finish the qualifying phase as top scorers with a whopping 40 goals, with an average of four goals a game.
Russia, who finished two points behind Belgium, thumped San Marino 5-0 in one of a host of dead rubbers.
Germany and the Netherlands thumped Northern Ireland and Belarus to close their campaigns in style.
Serge Gnabry said Germany were heading to the Euros in a positive mood after hitting a hat-trick that sank the Northern Irish 6-1 and gave them top spot in Group C.
“We are playing some very, very good football,” said Gnabry, who came off to a standing ovation on 80 minutes.
“We are going to the finals confident and with a good run behind us. The team is young, but we’re all having a lot of fun.”
Georginio Wijnaldum made another stand against racism as he also scored three times in the Netherlands’ 5-0 crushing of Belarus.
Liverpool midfielder Wijnaldum was angered at Excelsior striker Ahmad Mendes Moreira being subjected to racist chanting by FC Den Bosch fans during a Dutch second division match.
And after opening the scoring in the sixth minute he and Frenkie de Jong joined on the sidelines to bring their arms together to draw attention to their different skin colour. — AFP
Sports Reporter
RYAN CAIRNS has, for the first time this season, moved out of the top 50 of the Sunshine Tour order of merit standings.
He missed the cut at the Vodacom Origins of Golf, but remains the best-placed local.
Cairns is now in 53th place, having taken part in 10 tournaments since the beginning of the 2019-20 season.
The Royal Harare professional remains the highest-placed local golfer after earning R116 000, surpassing last year’s R106 050, from 15 tournaments.
With six-cuts and four missed cuts, the professional golfer is ahead of countryman Ben Follet-Smith and Mark Williams.
Cairns had a good outing at the Zanaco Masters in Zambia where he finished in eighth place to pocket R37 550.
He also finished sixth at the Sun City Challenge where he earned R28 800.
During the first four tournaments of the year, Cairns never missed the cut and was at some point in the top 20 on the order of merit. Follet-Smith is also in the top 100.
The former Wingate and Mississippi State University graduate is on 76th place with R58 600 in earnings. Credited with three cuts from 13 attempts, Follet-Smith had his best outing at the Vodacom Origins Humewood where he finished 12th to earn R19 000.
young-and-upcoming Taya Gray, Rumbi Zimuto and Sinead Jones who are expected to lead the team. “Not only do we hope to scoop medals, we are, more importantly, looking for personal best times from all our Pirates swimmers,” said the club in a statement. Harare Amateur Swimming Board public relations officer, Shingirai Mtetwa, said they were hoping most of their senior swimmers will compete at the event. “We have a total of 186 senior swimmers affiliated to HAS. Most of them will participate in the championships, entries are still being finalised for actual figures.