BULAWAYO - The inaugural Emakhandeni Legends Under - 18 tournament gets underway this morning with eight Zifa Bulawayo Province Serie A teams battling for honours.
Five former football players who are all based in South Africa, namely Mthulisi “Mabhabhula” Sibanda, Albert “Mahobho” Tiago, Elias “Nyathi” Ngoma, Nhlanhla “Khandalebhasi” Ndlovu and Mlungisi “Malu” Moyo, all of whom hail from Emakhandeni, sponsor the tourney.
The quarter-finals are set to start at 9am at Emakhandeni ground with EM Sports taking on Emakhandeni Pirates, LMC Academy will clash with Highlanders, Talen Vision will square up against Chicken Inn while Bantu Rovers will play Mpumelelo.
The winners for the respective games will play their semi-finals at 9am tomorrow at the same venue with the finals set for 3pm.
The Emakhandeni Legends will play against cross border drivers affectionately known as “Omalayitsha.”
The eventual winners will walk away with a full set of uniforms with each set accompanied by a pair of shin guards and stockings.
The winners will also get a trophy and gold-medals, while the runners up will get silver-medals, five soccer balls and a trophy.
There will also be prizes for top goal scorer and player of the tournament who will each get a trophy, shin guards and medals.
The goalkeeper of the tournament will get gloves, a trophy, shin guards and medal while the winning coach will get a medical kit, pump, whistle and a stop watch.
According to a representative of the event organisers Siza Ndlovu, who happens to be goalkeepers’ coach at Chicken Inn, the tournamenyt is set to become an annual event.
“We want to make the event an annual one and it is a challenge to the corporate world to come forth and help the young children to showcase their talent to earn a living out of it,” said Ndlovu.
Zifa Bulawayo board member for development Mkhululi Mthunzi thanked the former players for the good gesture.
“We are grateful that we still have former players who think, appreciate and support their youngsters. The gesture should invite the cooperate world to come and help the youngsters by so doing they will be building a better future for Zimbabwean football,” Mthunzi said.